Armageddon Part 2
by AoDragon
Summary: A continuation of part 1, things are beginning to get more interesting for Isaac and his companions, and the necromorphs are getting uglier, bigger, and smarter.
1. Chapter 1

Dead Space: Armageddon

Part 2

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the Dead Space Franchise; this story is made as tribute.

The next morning Isaac takes Dayloos and both headed towards the hospital on the way Isaac meets with Jordan.

"Hay Isaac!"

"Hex how's the ship?"

"She's good took some work but I managed to improve system shielding so the next time we go into a marker hot zone the EM wave shouldn't affect us as bad as it did on Solntse."

"Ah wasn't that bad, come walk with me."

"Isaac, heh if hit the ground any harder the fuel cells would have ruptured and we would have been blown to kingdom come."

"Okay that's bad."

"Not worry I also upgraded my ships armor and reinforced the fuel cell containers to withstand punishment, it should lessen the chance of us blowing up."

"Nice."

"So where we off to?"

"Checking out a lead some guy a navigator from one of the last ships of refugees, the way I hear there was an attack."

"Yeah I heard it was one of those gigantic necros the ones that can levitate; I think someone named it the Kraken."

"After the sea monster what it looked like a colossal octopus?"

"From what I heard yep."

They arrive at the hospital.

"You Isaac Clarke?"

"Yes, your clearance checks out you may go, is this boy with you?"

"Yes he's with me."

They enter the room they see Zak in a glass chamber.

"Zak Muller?"

"Yes?"

"My names Isaac, I'm here to talk to you about what happened to you during the attack."

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Zak please we need to know it could be of help to the fight against the necromorphs."

He was hesitant to answer.

"Okay fine what do you want to know?"

"Your report said that you blacked out during the attack."

"Yes… before it went dark I felt cold and I saw what looked like a nebula, dark red and blackness everywhere, there was also a… there was a… a."

He stops and bows his head.

"Zak… Zak are you okay?"

Dayloos emerges from his orb.

"Isaac, be cautious I'm detecting the same disturbance as in the lab."

He remained silent having a raspy breathing, Isaac moves closer to the glass wall when Zak lashes, slapping his hand on the glass startling them both making them step back. Zak's eyes start glowing blue and slowly drag his hands on the glass with his nails.

"TURN AWAY; THE MONOLITH WILL NOT BE OPENED."

"What the hell, Isaac this guy is really scaring me!"

"Zak what the hell has gotten into you?"

"Zak is not here I am here, I speak to you a warning turn away and take him, take them with you the monolith must never be opened."

"Who are you, were you the one responsible for killing the Kraken… answer me?!"

"I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO ANSWER TO YOU LESSER CREATURES, BE GONE!"

Suddenly both Isaac and Jordan along with everyone in the hospital held their heads in immense pain as a high pitched, ear piercing sound came out of nowhere. Within seconds the glass around Zak shattered and the noise ceased. The guards outside open the doors, Zak sprints and lunges both of them with alarming strength Isaac and Jordan pursue him. Zak thrashes through walls as if they were made of paper until he was outside the hospital both reach the hole in the wall looking down at Zak, he looks back to them and continues running. He's cornered by a squad of EarthGove soldiers that try to apprehend him but then another high pitched sound arises easily crippling all of them, he walks to one and takes a grenade and sprints on, the soldiers behind them recover and ran after him. Zak is finally cornered again at an alley; the soldiers close in on him with riot shields.

"Careful he's armed!"

Isaac and Jordan caught up to the scene.

"Isaac something very powerful is at work here you must not let him go."

"He's got a grenade and there're already moving to take him he's going to suicide bomb himself!"

They get close and try to take Zak down but are easily overwhelmed and he delivers blows that send some flying Isaac gets closer to him, then Zak places his hand on top of a button.

"Zak relax don't do it you don't have to do this!"

"KEEP AWAY ISAAC, YOU WILL NOT OPEN IT!" [Raises his hand holding the grenade]

"Don't do it!"

Zak pushes the button the grenade lets out a charging noise.

"Oh Shit, get down!" [Runs over to Jordan who hides behind a car, Isaac makes it over the top right before the grenade detonates creating a large explosion. After the smoke cleared they come from behind the car to see nothing but a big, dark blast mark on the ground where Zak stood.

"Is everyone okay?!"

"We're fine."

Isaac walks closer to the blast mark.

"Jesus."

"Okay, Isaac what the hell just happened this all started so fast I can barely process this?"

"I don't know, he acted a lot different than that of Dave Carmichael."

"Yeah he didn't have superhuman strength, those walls and glass were very thick you need the force of three grenades to even crake them that was not natural."

"Come let's go."

Both move away from the site as more troops and medics arrive.

[Isaac's RIG Link opens]

"Isaac what's going on down there I heard some heavy chatter over the coms?"

"We went to see Zak Muller and well shit hit the fan pretty hard."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll explain when we get back to you, but simply as I can put it Zak's dead."


	2. Chapter 2

Isaac and Jordan return to Hawk's lab.

"Isaac what happened down there?"

"I'm not entirely sure, one minute was fine next he looked and sounded like he was possessed by something."

"Something?"

"The way it felt… it was similar to the markers but bared differences."

"Like what?"

"For one the voice didn't sound like the moons, didn't sound like him."

"God damn it, that was loud very loud my damn ears are still ringing."

"Mines too Hex, Dayloos please tell me you caught something when that freak show happened?"

"Yes I did, and my suspicions were warranted the brainwaves are not Menthuun's surely they bare similarities but they are different."

"So does that mean you can tell us now what that means?"

"I manage to restore some of the memory that was lost from Dayloos's mind the other night and it seems that there was another Elder Moon that was born from our planet's destruction, like I told you before there were three emperors that governed our empire it took three to rule."

"You and Menthuun and who was the other?"

"The youngest of us two brothers Kalis, he was a most shy and kept to himself but when our parents stepped down as rulers we needed another emperor there was already me and Menthuun but still one was missing, there was controversy among our courts that Kalis was too young to have the responsibility as an emperor but without three our race and government was in chaos but he stated he could handle it and he became the youngest emperor our race ever had."

"Wait your saying that your young brother was also in on Menthuun's plan?"

"No when I restored memory, new ones emerged all I can conclude is that Menthuun manipulated Kalis into helping him and in the end he betrayed him, he was young and easy for one to trick and Menthuun was highly manipulative and a pathological liar, and also had a tendency for psychopathy."

"What, he was widely known to be mentally unstable and your people still allowed him to have such authority as a ruler that's so moronic!?" [Carver enters]

"I and other AIs tried to tell our race that it was not a good idea to do so but they were in great peril and did not care who was ruler as long as there was one however I believe he still out there somewhere."

"How can you know that?"

"In the new portions of his memories shows not only Dayloos hurling the last two markers into space but Kalis as a moon fighting Menthuun keeping him distracted, from getting the last two he needed.

"Can you show us?"

"Yes one moment."

On the vid screen in front of them images from Dayloos's memories are played as a video, it shows Dailkuun planet in flames, alien-like necromorphs everywhere with Dayloos fighting them on the steps of the royal palace lifting and throwing them off with his powers, as he fights both Menthuun and Kalis faceoff against each other over the planet grappling and thrusting their tentacles into each other. Dayloos is forced to move on with more and more necromorphs pushing up to him he levitates over the walls and into the field where the last two markers stand, he lands in between them he looks up in the sky seeing the two moons fighting, Menthuun swipes on of his tentacles forcing him back knocking chucks of matter off Kalis. Menthuun then charges at him and impales him with three of his tentacles, one in his left yellow eye causing it to rupture with gushing amounts of blood spewing from he wound, another in his neck and in his main body Kalis roars in pain, Menthuun removes his tentacles and bashes his former brother who drifts into space hemorrhaging blood. After defeating his younger brother he descends back down the planet, seeing his mad brother Dayloos swiftly levitates into the air and grasps both of the markers with telekinesis, within seconds the markers are ripped out of the ground and he pulls them into the sky, half way into out of the planet's atmosphere he's attacked by flying necromorphs he tries his best to fend them off while focusing on the markers he sustains a heavy hit that makes him drop the white marker he recovers and grasps it again and continues ascending into the sky he finally reaches outer space he then takes both of the marker and launches them in opposite directions. Enraged Menthuun yells and grabs hold of Dayloos and squeezes him tightly.

"NOOOO, I WONT LET YOU DESTROY MY DESTNY BROTHER YOU, KALIS AND, OUR PEOPLE WERE TOO WEAK TO USE THE TRUE POWER OF THE MARKERS, TOO WEAK TO USE THEM TO MAKE US THE ULTAIMATE RACE, WE COULD HAVE BEEN IMMORTAL WE COULD HAVE BEEN GODS!"

Menthuun throws Dayloos down towards the planet, he falls from the skies and violently hit the ground severely injuring him, and he struggles to crawl out of the crater made from his descent he looks up and sees his brother descending down on the planet he reveals his face with his red eyes shining down on him.

"OUR RACE COULD HAVE BEEN THE APEX OF ALL COULD HAVE BEEN TRUE LIVING GODS WE COULD HAVE RULED ALL OF EXSISTAN CE WITH AN IRON FIST BUT YOU AND OUR WORLD CHOOSE TO REMINE LESSERS, AND NOW YOU AND THE REST SHALL SUFFER FOR THAT MISTAKE GOODYBE DEAR BROTHER."

Menthuun rises into the sky then in orbit of the planet and resumes his convergence, his transformation into what he claims as a god. Dayloos regains his strength and stands up seeing Menthuun absorbing every last soul left on his world and tearing it to shreds he levitates to a field of faux markers that remain pure and uncorrupted by his brother's madness in the center of them all he raises his hands above his head the markers begin to glow brilliantly the markers levitate into the air and star spinning quickly, he then yells while and bright beams of white light collide in the center then shoots up into the sky then out into space.

"Goodbye to you too dear brother… forgive me."

Menthuun turns to the planet.

"WHAT!?"

The beam strikes him, he yells."

"NOOO, DAMN YOU DAYLOOS NO AHHHH!"

Menthuun is then forced into a state of suspended animation followed by a massive shockwave that destroys every necromorph that had spread through the lost empire and beyond, after the flames had burned themselves out every few of the Dailkuun still lived but they all died out for they could not procreate and replenish their numbers in the end Dayloos was the only one left and last to die, the video ends.

"Wow that was… that explained a lot."

"What are you talking about?"

"What you didn't see any of that?"

"No all we saw was static."

"I forgot to mention that Isaac and I will be the only ones that can make visual sense of this."

"Huh, so dead boy what did you see?"

"The fall of their empire and the rise of the moons, it also explains how the black marker ended up on Earth but where did the white and black ones go?"

"That is unclear; it could be of infinite possibilities as to where it went."


	3. Chapter 3

"Hmm."

"Isaac I need to talk to you about something in private."

They walk outside the lab.

"What is it Carver?"

"Yesterday I did some digging in EarthGove's security and I found surveillance footage of the complex your friend Alfred lives and well… you might not like what you'll see."

"Show me."

Carver opens a file in his RIG a video plays, Isaac sees his friend Alfred running to his apartment during the outbreak. Upon reaching and opening his door he's attacked by unknown assailants that then drag him off to one of the main hangers onto a ship.

"He was kidnapped, who the hell are those people?"

"No idea but it seems the chief of station security went through a lot to keep this footage secret it was heavily encrypted and it gets worse there's also a recording of a conversation between Rosen and an unknown contact." [He plays the recording]

"It begun your clear to locate the targets and apprehend them try not to let too many people see you."

"You worry about keeping Isaac and his friends busy, the outbreak will have people running for their lives we won't be seen."

"Keep it that way now if you'll excuse I have a lot of people to prepare for ascension, god will be hungry when he arrives."

The recording ends.

"Guess the outbreak had purposes, rounding up the last of the human race to give to the moons and a distraction for these people."

"You said the chief of security was hiding this?"

"Yeah, when I asked him about your friend he well, I can tell he's lying cause I found messages sent between him and Adrian, orders to hide any footage of those soldiers were ever they went dumb ass should have destroyed it rather than hide."

"Maybe we should pay him a visit, make him talk."

"I figured you want to do that, I'm tracking his RIG now he just left Government Sector looks like he's heading towards the tram station." [Both start walking]

"He just got off the tram he moving towards the end of the terminal we should split up he kinda looks nervous if we just walk up to him we might spook him."

"Agreed."

Carver and Isaac arrive at the tram station and spot the chief, both separate and close in on him. Carver moves up through the crowd and gets ahead of him as he's walking the chief looks behind, Isaac quickly turns around pretending to look at the tram line map. The chief looks back in front of him and continues walking yet fast as if he's spooked.

"Carver I think he's on to us he's speed walking."

"Did he see you?"

"He turned towards me and I quickly hid but he may have seen me."

"Alright I just got ahead him I'll cut him off."

The chief about to leave the terminal Carver comes out and snatches him out of sight and forces him against the wall, Isaac quickly walks over to them.

"Who the hell are you!?"

"Keep your voice down."

"Wait I know you, John Carver."

"Yeah now shut up and tell us the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"Down jerk me off we know you worked with Adrian Rosen during the outbreak, he ordered you to dispose of camera footage of the people that took his friend an engineer Alfred Parker and a few other people."

"Yes he did I was only following orders I didn't mean for people to get hurt."

"Who were those people that snuck onto Sanctuary?"

"I… I can't tell you that they'll kill me… He'll kill me."

"Kill you ha!?"

Carver then grabs him by his collar holding his gun to his neck

"Motherfucker this gun right here will kill if you don't cooperate?!"

"Carver!"

"Alright, alright." [Releases him]

"What do you mean they'll kill you, whose they?"

[He sighs]

"They're a… a group mercs mainly comprised of ex-military and smugglers the scum of the galaxy but these guys are not your everyday underworld organization these guys are a cult, absolutely insane mothers you could say they're reminiscent Jacob Danik's band of psychopaths."

"Unitologist?"

"Yeah."

"Okay is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Here these are coordinates to a nebula inside it there's a small asteroid system, they use it as a base and meeting area if you go there you might find your friend."

"Alright."

"Listen I didn't want to help them they forced me, you know what those unitologist bastards do when they don't get their way."

"I know exactly what they do trust me they took out the Lunar Colony just to get to me; we're done get out of here." [He walks away]

"Nice work Isaac, I know that nebula he mentioned it's notorious for black market and smuggling, hmm I wonder if crime lords that own the black market are still alive."

"Why."

"Ugh… well I have a friend from years ago his father was the big kahuna of the underworld and after he died he left the military and took over now he's the boss."

"Your old friend is a crime lord, wow Carver you have a lot of… interesting acquaintances."

"Yeah uh Isaac maybe you don't want to repeat that to anyone else."

"Sure anything else later on you want to tell me?"

"Ugh, maybe later okay let's investigate that nebula we might find something."

"Alright I'll text Jordan."

"Should text Ellie?"

"Ugh… let's not I don't want her to worry hopefully we'll get back before she knew we ever left."

"Whatever you say." [They start walking.]

They arrive at the hanger and board the ship, the Patriarch departs from the station and they set out for the nebula.

"So what is it about this nebula?"

"It's a base for smugglers and criminal syndicates, in other words the scum of the galaxy."

"You realize these coordinates set the location near the other side of the Sol system were a lot of necromorph activity has been reported from EarthGove forces?"

"Yeah we know but if there's a lead there to what happened to Alfred we gotta check it out."

"Do I want to ask the odds of running into another moon?"

"That's not funny."

"Ha, I know, deshocking in 3, 2, mark whoa… that's a big gas cloud."

"Yep that's it lets go in."

The Patriarch flies slowly through the bright pink nebula, after minutes of flying they finally reach a large asteroid in the center. They orbit around it looking for an landing zone along the rocky landscape, Isaac spots a clearing nearby large enough for them to settle, as they get closer Isaac's vision begins to blur he closes his eyes for a moment then opens them to see the surface covered with trees and the clearing with grass. Looming high above the landing site Isaac sees the boy from his dreams looking up at him then his vision corrects and the forest along with the child vanishes.

"Isaac, Isaac!"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure… you saw something didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Another hallucination?"

"No well sort of I thought I saw nothing it was nothing."

"Okay well that's better than everywhere else setting her down." [The ship gently lands on the ground]

"Hmm, that's strange."

"What is?" [Isaac turns to Jordan]

"The air out there… it's breathable but there's no natural atmosphere which means it's artificial someone or something is making this rock habitable."

"Atmosphere processor maybe they used those on Aegis VII to make it breathable."

"Maybe let's go out and find out."


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright we should suit up just in case, I rather be safe than sorry."

After getting their RIG suits on they set out onto the rocky landscape in search of the merc base. Carver moves on ahead of Isaac and Hex scanning for anything out of the ordinary, while Isaac and Hex keep their eyes open. Soon Carver stops to his RIG beeping.

"Power sources and complex structures detected."

"Life forms?"

"Scanning… no life forms detected, warning unknown activity detected do north use caution."

Isaac and Hex catch up to Carver who stands overlooking a hill.

"Is that it?" [Isaac asked]

"I think so, I'm getting strange power readings from inside the main buildings but my scans show no life forms in the area."

"They didn't just disappear; vehicles and some gunships are still here." [Hex points to a landing area]

"Good eye, be on your guard, if something happened necromorphs or not they wouldn't just leave anything behind, they'd destroy everything."

Carver goes off on his own to investigate the site while Hex and Isaac split up. Hex heads to a dark garage housing a few hover ships; with his helmet's purple visor as the only source of light he searches the place cautiously with his gun at the ready, Carver finds a closed bulkhead leading underground he walks closer to scan the door.

"RIG scan."

"Scanning… door is sealed, power still active."

"Still reading movement from the north?"

"Negative, warning bodily thermal readings detected around the immediate location use caution."

"Isaac, Hex you hear me?"

"We read you Carver what's up?"

"Be careful I'm reading heat signatures around our location we should regroup I have a bad feeling about this."

"Okay I'm heading back, Hex?"

"I read."

As soon as Hex starts to leave the door to the garage slams shut, he draws his second gun. As he scans the room for hostiles, two black RIG suited figures with lime visors drop down from the ceiling both wielding katanas, both lash at Hex. He dodges the first sword and blocks the second with his gun slicing it in half, he tries running from them, the duo split up to cut him off around the ships.

Isaac and Carver regroup they notice Hex was missing, concerned Isaac tries to contact him.

"Hex this is Isaac where are you!?"

"Shh, we're not alone here!"

"What?"

"I'm hiding from two guys with swords that are trying to eviscerate me!"

"Okay where are you?"

"Shit they're close can't talk."

"Wait Hex!"

He closes his RIG Link and removes his helmet as the two get closer to his hiding spot; he sits and waits behind crates he looks through a break between the crates at one of the attackers with the other nowhere in sight.

"Shit, where's the other. [Hushed]

Trying to see where the other is Hex hears faint footsteps dead behind him he rolls out from behind the crates with great speed before the missing attacker could impale him from behind, the figure pulls his sword out of the crate and calmly stands up looking at him he then speaks to Hex.

"Your reflexes are fast but we're faster."

"Really you're awfully slow when you try to cut me in half; I can do better if I wanted in fact allow me to demonstrate I'll show you."

"Is that right?"

Hex's RIG opens as he reaches behind his back to pull out a katana that's stored in his RIG.

"Hmm, nice steel; let us see then whose sword skills are stronger I'll be sure to go easy on you kid."

"Bring it bitch."

He lashes at Hex again, both engage in a fierce fight while the other watches with his arms crossed leaning against a poll. Isaac and Carver trace Hex's RIG to the garage they manage to pry open the door and right before they storm in the other figure rushes out and lunges them both off their feet, he draws his katana and plunges into the ground, he then gets into a defensive posture ready to fight hand to hand he taunts them both.

"Come get some pissants!" [He lunges at them both]

After minutes of executing lighting fast slashes Hex strikes and cuts his opponent on the arm at his bicep, he looks at the wound on his arm which blood slowly flows dripping on the floor then looks back at him.

"Hehe lots of room for improvement but not half bad, tell me why you and your friends are here?"

"We're looking for your boss, one of my of us are old friends with him."

"Really, I'll tell you what lets have another round first blood drawn from the torso wins, if you win I'll take you and your friends to him, but should you lose the rest of my brothers and I will come and massacre you and your companions."

"Deal."

"Show me what you can really do kid and maybe I'll be half impressed."

"Keep talking asshole."

They sprint towards each other they both strike and their swords collide making small sparks. They resume their fight, outside Carver and Isaac barely hold their own against the single fighter, Carver tries to wrestle him to the ground but he easily slips out from under him and hits him hard he then grabs and lifts him by the neck.

"Carver!"

Isaac gets out his knife and tries to slash him but misses when he drops Carver; he flips over Isaac kicking him in the back. His knife is knocked out of his hand; the fighter catches it then throws it at Isaac hitting him in the thigh.

"Ahh!"

"Isaac!"

"Are you fucking kidding, first an axe to my back now this!?"

"OH that looked like it hurt; do you wish to continue curs?" [Tauntingly]

"Fuck you!"

Meanwhile in the garage the fighter and Hex continue fighting, he knocks Hex's sword out of his hand with a heavy blow, he hits him with lighting fast punches he delivers a heavy punch that dazes him then he kicks him in the chest sending him flying about four feet in the air with a rough landing. The fighter walks to him, kneels down watching Hex as he groans in pain holding his chest.

"Poor little child, have you had enough should I reunite you with your father?"

Right then Hex was infused with rage hearing him mention his father and mocking him.

"Fuck you!" [Balls up his fists]

Hex springs up and starts punching him with unmatched fury, forcing him back a few steps each time. He tries to slash him but misses Hex tries to disarm him but he counters his attack wrestling him to the ground back handing on the head dazing him yet again. He grabs his sword to impale Hex to the floor. As the blade comes down Hex moves out of the way, the blade plunges into the ground; Hex kicks the sword thus breaking it in half. Then he kicks him again dazing him, Hex takes the broken off blade of the fighter's sword and slashes him in the chest, a strike of blood escapes from the wound upon it being made, he put his hand on his chest for it to be stained by his blood he looks up at Hex with a grin.

"Well done, I'm impressed."

Outside the fighter attacking Isaac and Carver vanishes and stop in their tracks at a voice.

"Arketa!"

Soon after hundreds of merc soldiers appear out of cloaking aiming at them and surrounding them.

Catherine Howell


	5. Chapter 5

"Ean ektimate I zoi sas, tha paradothoun!"

"The hell did he say?"

"He said if you value your lives you'll surrender." [Says Hex]

Hex and the fighter come out through the crowd of mercs.

"Hex?"

"I'm fine; just do what they say guys it'll be wise."

The fighter walks closer to Isaac and Carver.

"The boss will see you, come with me and keep your hands visible."

They head to a large door that opens up on the ground leading deep below the surface a platform elevator rises up; they board with the many mercs escorting them down. After a lengthy descent they come to a large cavern with other mercs waiting for them, the elevator stops and they walk down some stairs that led to a site full of tents with a large tent in the far back they're escorted to the tent in the far back, they enter the tent to see the merc boss.

"Sacekajte ovde." [Commanded one of the guards]

"Pardon?"

"He said wait here." [Said the fighter as he tends his chest wound]

"I take it you had a nice fight with him?"

Jordan looks at Isaac.

"Yeah, there's a reason why I came with you guys, the ones that attacked us they're… family, my family."

"What your family?"

"It's a long story but… let's just say in my family I come from a long line of pirates that goes back a long time in history."

"Seriously, how far back are we talking about?"

"1692, that's when my ancestors got into the piracy business and it had gone on through the ages since to these days so yes I'm descended from pirates."

"Amazing the people you meet these days eh." [Isaac smirked]

"I'll say."

Isaac, Carver and Jordan look up at the balcony with the merc leader looking down at them.

"John Carver, you look good I see you got few scars."

"Yeah it's been a while look we… we have to talk."

"Yes, I assume you're here about the marker heads that infiltrated Sanctuary, yes we're aware of the incident."

"Yeah."

"Hmm, yes we've tracked their movements back en forth these damn marker heads have been trespassing on our territories ever since Danik and his psychos started their crusade." [As he comes down the balcony stairs]

"We've made raids on their ships but these guys are insane they would sacrifice a whole ship just to break through our block aids."

Jordan walks closer.

"We need to know where they are coming from where their base is."

He looks at him and walks closer to Jordan.

"Ah you truly are Hex you have your fathers face; welcome to your extended family about everyone here is of kin to you as am I, other than me you've already met two of your many cousins."

Jordan looks to the one he fought.

"Yeah the ones that tried to dice me into bits."

"Apologies but we had to know if you were really one of us and you proved yourself."

Suddenly the entire compound rumbles, the leader opens a RIG Link to the surface.

"Report, what's going on up there!"

"Sire we're under attack by Necros they found us!"

"Damn it, estimated number of hostiles?"

"It's an invasion and these bastards are packing heavy firepower."

"Man the defenses, and mobilize everyone get the big guns."

"Yes sire." [The RIG Link closes]

"Isaac, you need a location on the ones that took your friend, tell you what help us destroy them and I'll tell where they are."

"Damn it we can't seem to catch a break. [Carver rubs his forehead]

Jordan sprints to Isaac and Carver.

"Guys please we have to help these people are my family and if the necromorphs are here… please for me."

"Alright we need that info anyway."

"Good follow me. [Said Noctis]

Isaac, Carver and Jordan follow Noctis to the surface upon reaching the main crater they see three Krakens leading the assault on the base and deploying necromorphs on the ground.

"At least it's not anymore moons."

"Amen to that." [Said Carver]

"Our men can take the ground forces it's the Krakens that are kicking our asses we have particle cannons that can even the odds but the power cores keep giving out."

"I'll take a look at it and maybe get them working." [Isaac quickly answered]

"Alright you guys go with him while we keep the necros busy two of my men will escort you there."

So they set off to the other side of the base to repair the particle cannons, while on route to the cannons the merc fleet tries to push the Krakens off of the moon but are quickly overwhelmed by their power. The energy beams they shot out from their mouths sliced through their shields and hull as if it were tissue paper thus blowing the ship out of the skies, one of the cephalopod necromorphs lunges its tentacles into the side of another ship and injected necromorphs into the ship like a syringe into a vein. Isaac and the rest make it to the cannons; he and Jordan quickly get to work on repairing them while Carver and the two escorts stand guard.

"Ok I'm in the system… it looks like there's lapses in the targeting matrix not just the power, I can fix it but it'll take time I need your help too."

"Alright what do I have to do?"

"It's simple I have to find code snippets inside the system every time I find enough to compile a program to fix the cannons I need you to hack the terminal's, this will keep the intrusion detection software busy while I fix this faulty programing."

"Okay.

As Isaac and Jordan work to restore the cannons one of the Krakens break away from the group and moved towards them.

"Guys one of the squid heads is coming this way!"

"Well stall them!"

"How they're as big as fucking skyscrapers!" [Sarcastically]

"How the hell am I supposed to know how Isaac and I are busy fixing this damn heap of outdated junk and you just talking to me is counterproductive!"

"Hay, hay, both of you play nice!"

"Geez Isaac where did you find this guy?"

"I didn't he and his boss found me at Luna."

"Okay I'm almost done I just need to make two more then the system should be able to work properly."

The Kraken continues moving towards them and spawns Tripods and Brutes that go after Isaac and Hex, spotting them Carver and their escort ready themselves for a fight.

"Guys we got trouble we'll hold them back while you keep at it."

"Roger." [Answered Hex]

"Hex how much longer?"

"Almost… got it its done system is self-correcting and all that good shit, Jordan Hex to Sire the cannons are about to come online!"

The cannons come online and quickly target and fire upon the Krakens, they're quickly overwhelmed by the many particle cannons firing on them they try to retreat back into space when highly charged shots hit two of the three blowing them up into flaming necrotic debris. The third Kraken was severely crippled but not killed by the blast from its brothers, thus it fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground, the cannons quickly finish it off before it could try to levitate to safety, a final charged shot to its glowing, pulsating weak spot on its head the Kraken lets out a roar before it falls to the floor dead and begins to disintegrate melt away, the rest of the mercs finished off the remaining necro ground forces, they meet with the Sire in the main crater's center.

"Well you guys kept your side of the bargain and as people of honor us Hexs are we will keep ours, these are the coordinates for the possible location of their base of operations, we don't know for sure as we have never ventured to those regions of space too many strange going-ons out there."

"Thanks."

"Anything for a family member, know that you and your friends are always welcomed here, and please accept these gifts as gratitude for helping us suppress this necro incursion and helping a fellow Hex find his family, my men will load them onto your ship."

"Thank you Sire, we'll take our leave and leave you be."

As they leave the rock and fly into orbit they stop to decide since they have the coordinates to the possible location of the enigmatic group of people seen at Sanctuary whether they should continue on finding them or calling it a day and go back home."


	6. Chapter 6

"Okay we finally got a location I say we should go there and at the very least shadow them, not set down but you know see if they are there." [Hex suggested]

"I would agree but, what if there's they're waiting for us just the three of us against an army?"

"We've been up against armies of necromorphs."

"Carver that's because half of them are nearly of zero intelligence, we're talking about possibly going up against more unitologist."

"And like I said we've done suicidal odds before, fighting a moon."

"Okay, but I think we should go back for now restock on supplies, the ammo we have it's not nearly enough to run a small war."

"Damn he's right I just remembered the plasma cannons and torpedoes need to be refilled what if you guys need air support."

"Exactly, alright it settled we go back for now."

The Patriarch leaves the nebula made the jump into shockspace back to Sanctuary, during their trip back Carver examines the crates gifted to them by Hex's family.

"Guys have you opened those crates yet see what's in them?"

"I'm about to."

Carver opens one of the long crates.

"Holy shit."

Isaacs looks into the crate.

"What are these?"

"Haha Isaac I think this is a VM-7 Dark Launcher."

"No fucking way, weren't these things confiscated by EarthGove?" [Hex walks in]

"Yeah from what I heard mostly because they were deemed too dangerous even for the military to use."

"What do they do?"

Carver opens his RIG.

"According to records the VM-7 Dark Launcher utilizes dark matter requires no ammunition but has to charge and recharge before and after every shot, short cool down period ionized titanium alloy everything else about it was classified but to put it simply it makes a huge bang, the only way one could obtain these was through the black market and each one cost somewhere around 30,000,000 credits almost the same cost to mass producing them so EarthGove discontinued them and placed them in storage, son of a bitch that must have been your family that raided the storage facility and stole all the known copies."

"Well like I said that's pirates for you it's who we are, so how big of a bang are we talking about?

"Not sure, from half the stuff I've heard I'd say it can level a sky scraper with only five shots and that's just standard fire mode, fully charged shots maybe one or two."

"I say it be nice toy for fighting the larger necros wouldn't you say?"

Isaac walks to the rest of the crates.

"He gave us a lot of them each of these crates holds six of these bad boys' twelve crates that's seventy-two in all."

"How generous of him, but these will come in handy we'll keep a case here on the ship and we'll give the rest to EarthGove forces at the military sector."[Said Hex]

"Sounds good."

"It's still gonna be a while before we get back so just a heads up, I'll be at the cockpit."

A half hour passed and Isaac and Carver had fallen asleep and Hex remains in the cockpit gazing at a holo picture of him and his mother and father in a time long dead and buried to him. In the back Isaac is once again plagued by his strange dreams of the enigmatic boy and man as he dreams and the same routine becomes more violent he tosses and turns on his mat. As he sees the boy embrace the man he in his sleep he turns to his right, facing a box which begins to shake and levitate slowly into the air soon after the boy and man are surrounded by shadow necromorphs and the Elder moon emerges from the clouds more boxes and objects begin levitating, sensing something is happening he leaves the cockpit to check on Isaac and Carver. Upon entering the room he's shocked at the site of objects floating around in the room, he immediately checks the ships gravity systems and is shocked even more so that there's no problem with any of the systems and notices the object start revolving around Isaac. Back in his dream the moon descends then looms over them it soon reveals its face then its eyes open instead of looking at the man and boy its eyes dart at Isaac, his vision blurs and marker symbols flash his vision then he wakes. Carver is startled awake by all the floating boxes falling to the floor.

"What the hell!"

Isaac looks around in confusion, he holds and bows his head in pain, and Hex walks to him and kneels.

"Isaac, are you okay?"

Isaac looks up to reveal blood seeping down his nose, feeling it he whips it off his face.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know I came in to check on you guys and I see boxes and stuff floating around you, first I thought the gravity plating was malfunctioning but nothing was wrong."

"Oh god my head hurts."

"After feat like that it wouldn't come to a surprise."

"Dayloos how the… how are you here I didn't bring your orb and where you eavesdropping on us the whole time?"

"I may have secretly uploaded another copy of myself into your RIG device, for emergency purposes of course."

"Okay we'll talk about you uploading stuff in my RIG without my knowledge later right now I have to lay down, but can you to tell us what was happening?"

"I assure you I did not trespass on any private content you have stored anyway this may be difficult for your mind to believe but you were utilizing telekinesis."

"Telekinesis?"

"Correct the ability to move objects with one's mind, this is most incredible very few races that only use a small percentage of their brains are able to develop this ability."

"How exactly did I develop this?"

"It seems this happened as one of the side effects I mentioned before about your DNA alterations that makes it difficult for necromorph infection to convert you, my kind has seen this many times before but it was always a rare occurrence beings we changed using the markers and our powers some of our talents would be copied and imprinted onto the subject along with whatever changes we made to them, to put simply the work I performed on you copied my race's telekinetic abilities and passed it to you but why its manifesting now instead of sooner can be a number of reasons I cannot say."

"Why did you expect it to happen sooner?" [Asked Hex]

"Because human minds can be very accepting of things as it can and most of the time is rejecting as well, this trait in a mind and brain was not common amongst the many races of my people's empire, I also detected an increase of activity in your rapid eye movement, were you having the dream again?"

"Yes I was."

"That could explain why it happened, you see with my people most of our levitation and kinetic powers were triggered mostly by emotion the more we felt the more power was released and my scan showed that there's a part of the dream that induces emotion strong enough to stimulate it in you, what were you feeling during this?"

"There's a moment where the boy runs to the man in the clearing they hug and as soon as the moon shows up I get this feeling that I've felt before twice I felt anger, I felt like dying."

"At the moment it seems it's triggered by negative emotions, they're strong but unstable thus the episode you had just now and it happening in your sleep is natural as you don't know how to control it yet, if you choose to use your new found ability then I would suggest practicing trying to lift small and medium sized objects at least once a day, you have been lifting these weapon crates but you should be careful not to strain yourself your nose bleed may have been caused by lifting so many heavy box at once."

"I'll think about it."

"We're back should touch down soon… hay Isaac I just got a text from Lexine she says Ellie, Gabe and herself are on the station seems like she went help with some trouble and may not be back for a while, looks like she doesn't know that you were away."

[Their ship lands.]

"Thanks Hex… guys I'll be at my apartment alright?"

"Okay I'll let you know if I hear anything."

Meanwhile in an uncharted region of space on an unknown world Isaac friend Alfred wakes in a cell dimly lit with glowing unitology runes , confused and scared he tries to find a way out but is stopped by the sound of other people screaming and necromorph roars in the distance, he sits in the corner in the dark.


	7. Chapter 7

As Isaac walks towards the bed he gets a severe headache that cripples his movement causing him to fall to his knees clutching his head, as the pain worsens objects in the apartment start levitating and more blood runs from his nose. Sensing the immense stress on Isaac's brain Dayloss emerges from his RIG.

"Dayloos, what… what's happening!?"

"Isaac you're experiencing a feedback your powers are going haywire because your emotions are chaotic you need to balance out your emotions, clear your mind."

"I can't… I can't think with this pain!"

"You must calm your mind or your mind will collapse on itself and you will die."

Isaac then falls to his side; the objects in the apartment begin quickly spinning around him, his eyes become bloodshot.

"Breathe Isaac you must breathe!"

Ellie and Lexine enter the apartment; both are shocked seeing many objects flying about, Ellie rushes to Isaac.

"Isaac… what's happening to him!"

"His mind is a state of panic; I'll explain when he is stabilized."

After a moment the objects stopped spinning around Isaac and descend to the floor and fall to the ground motionless the pain in his head finally recedes, Ellie and Lexine help Isaac to the bed. They lay him down and he falls unconscious."

"Isaac… Isaac, Is it over is he alright?"

"Yes brain waves are normalizing, I detect no permanent damage he will be fine."

"Okay you said you knew what was going on so start talking what the hell was with the furniture and everything else in here flying all over the place?"

"Isaac not too long ago developed psychokinetic abilities as a side effect of the genetic modification I performed on him and what you saw was him experiencing a feedback, it's when the power tries to bond and settle with its owner but his mind tried to reject it for it couldn't understand it, since his mind rejected it the power forced the bond with him thus the suffering he just endured the fact he's fine now is because his mind now accepts it."

"Will this happen again?"

"No it happens once and never again."

"You said psychokinesis; you mean he can move things with his mind?" [Asked Lexine]

"Correct since he has gone through the feedback my scans show his powers are starting to grow stronger but he will be fine do not worry bed rest is what he needs right now, I'll be present in his RIG should anything arise." [He retreats back inside Isaac's RIG]

"Oaky."

"Ellie will you be alright I can stay if you want me to?"

"No thank you Lexine I'll be fine."

"Okay let me or Gabe know if you need anything good night."

"Thank you good night." [Lexine exits]

Ellie walks to the bed where Isaac lays on his back asleep she takes a quilt and covers Isaac with it then she lays beside him and falls asleep. She wakes up the next morning to find Isaac still out she moves closer to him and leans on him she is then startled by feeling his hand stroking her hair.

"Morning." [Weakly]

"Isaac how do you feel?"

"I've had better days head still hurts but not as bad at first."

"Dayloos said you should rest for a while give you and your brain time to heal."

"I know I heard him… are you okay?"

"Yes I'm just glad you're okay you had me scared there again."

"I know I'm sorry I… I"

"It's okay."

"How are you and our babies?"

"The babies are doing great they're growing more and more every day I swear I can feel them sometimes I'm so happy we're having twins."

"Me too."

"I'm fine as well I just get headaches now and then but it's nothing, it's probably just the pregnancy."

"Okay well I should get back to sleep I'm kind of tired."

"Go ahead you need the rest you looks like you've been doing nothing but work ever since Earth."

"Yeah come to think of it I feel like I haven't had much rest since Titan or Aegis VII."


	8. Chapter 8

Half an hour later Hawk comes by the apartment.

"Hawk come in thanks for coming by."

"I just heard what happened is Isaac okay?"

"Yes he's just asleep but he'll be fine."

"Telekinesis, wow Isaac doesn't cease to amaze does he?"

"No, he doesn't but that's one of the many reasons why I love him."

"He is his father's son he's so much like him."

"Isaac told me you and his fathers were together once."

"Yes but that was a long time ago before Isaac was born Isaac, I think he was only about six maybe eight years old when we said goodbye to each other."

"What happened?" [Ellie asked out of curiosity]

"Well Poul and I both had great opportunities that arose in our fields and since by the time we met up after many years he had a wife and handsome son, what we had couldn't be any more so we… we went our separate ways and I never saw him again after that, then about three years later I heard on the news that the ship he was stationed on was found destroyed half the crew was missing and there were no survivors I checked the MIA lists and Poul was one of the missing few hearing that almost made my heart stop."

"My god I'm sorry."

"No it's okay I'm sorry when I visit the past it sometimes gets to me."

"I know what you mean."

"Well enough about that so how are the buns in the oven?"

"So far it's been good almost two months gone then it'll be seven more to go."

"Oh that's great…"

Ellie and Hawk are interrupted by Dayloos as he emerges from Isaac's RIG.

"Apologies for my intrusion Dr. Hawk but there's been another incident."

"What's happened?"

"Do you recall an EarthGove solider by the name Dave Carmichael?"

"Yes he was helping out in my lab the day Lexine got hurt, did something happen again to him?"

"It seems he's once again under marker influence."

"But how is that possible none of the markers in the labs are exposed?"

"That's just it the signal is very faint but I can tell it's not coming from anywhere on the station or from any of the markers here."

"It's coming from outer space."

"Yes."

"I assume Mr. Carmichael has been detained?"

"Yes, he's being held in the hospital under quarantine."

"Alright then what's the larger issue?"

"Dave allowed himself to be apprehended unlike Zak Muller who committed suicide by detonating a bomb and since being detained he's been calling for Isaac, they want to know what you and him want to do."

Isaac tosses over to them.

"If he wants me then I'll go and talk to him."

"Isaac, you were awake all this time?" [Hawk surprised]

"I been awake I just had my eyes closed."

"Isaac I don't know about this, last time you talked to someone who was possessed by the markers blew himself up." [Ellie concerned]

"I can order more security to accompany us."

"Do it, we'll need it if he decides to go homicidal the last one broke through walls like he was super human."

"Isaac may be able to defend himself better now that he's more intuitive of his powers but beware Isaac I cannot say how strong he is mentally and physically with the marker's power even with extra security you may still be in grave peril."

"Well I'll just have to be extra careful."

Isaac goes to the hospital this time he goes in alone in the padded room Dave stand in the middle of the room, his blue glimmering eye gaze at him.

"They said you were asking for me… what do you want?"

"I want to know why my brother is so interested in you, why he's hell-bent on killing you, what is it about you that vexes him so much?"

"If I knew that I'd tell you other than destroying his markers and foiling his attempts at convergence I can't say."

"I think you know more then what you're telling me."

"And why's that?"

"Never mind it probably wouldn't matter anyway, I called you here mainly because I have information that may prove valuable to you personally Isaac think of it as doing you a favor after all I did save you and your friend from falling to your deaths on Tau Volantis."

"What… you saved Carver and I?"

"Yes after the machine there was shut down the single moon there woke and sent out a call to arms to its brethren, being one of these monstrosities myself I too can hear his words I followed it to the icy world and by the time I got there you and Carver had already nearly killed the moon, then you both reactivated the Codex and fell I took control of the markers on the planet thus taking control for a short time over the necromorphs the flying types caught you both before you hit the ground then I ordered them to set you both in a safe place after that I used the markers energy to heal both of you for you had severe injuries."

"Huh thanks I guess that explains why we looked okay when we woke up in that cave."

"Yes now this may come as disturbing for you but your mother's name was Octavia correct?"

"How do you know that?"

"I can see into your mind Isaac I can show you memories you have forgotten and never knew where still there, now after the death the last leader of the unitologist Jacob Danik your mother assumed leadership over the religion and organization and now she controls what remains of them and they have allied with the moons calling themselves their loyal holy warriors what, I've felt they are out to deliver the last of humanity to the moons."

"My mother... my mother is the new high priestess of those psychopaths?"

"I'm afraid so this I know to be true."

"I can't believe this I knew my mother was a lot of things when she joined them but this…"

"Yes there's one more thing but I'm not sure if I should tell you this…"

"What is it… tell me?"

Kalis lets out a sigh before he unveils a revelation to Isaac, an answer he's sought for a long time that he never thought he would ever find."

"I do not know anymore then what I'm about to tell you but one thing I've recently learned is your father is still alive."


	9. Chapter 9

"My father… he's alive?"

"Correct."

"Are you sure, how do you know this?"

"I was there the day his ship was attacked by my brother and his forces he took him prisoner along with some of the ship's crew, I belive like him they too were engineers."

"He only took the engineers no one else?"

"Yes, why he took them and not anyone else I'm unsure the fact that he took them alive obviously means he was planning on using them if he had no plan to utilize them he would have just killed all of them."

"Thank you for telling me this."

"I must begone now we'll speak again Isaac."

"Wait be fore you go when we first talked you spoke of something called the Monolith what is it?"

"The less you know the better, it is something even "he" must not know of, goodbye Isaac."

The possessing pressence in Dave's body vacates him, his eyes stop glowing and he falls onto the bed out cold.

"Dayloos."

"Yes I was listening… are you you alright Isaac?"

"I don't know, maybe I expected my mother take after Danik but my dad, I gave up trying to look for him a long time ago I kept telling and making myself belive that he was still out there somewhere but I guess I was just trying to escape the possiblity that he was dead."

"Dr. Hawk mentioned before she was once intimate with your father should she be made known that he's alive?"

"Maybe but first I want to investigate this further."

"Very well ."

Isaac starts walking when notices someone walking next to him.

"Hello Isaac."

"Jesus quite the ghost aren't you."

"Sorry it comes with being trained in the deadly arts."

"Like ninjas?"

"In a way yeah other than stealth let's just say I'm trained in 33,000 ways to kill a man."

"Wow I guess you can kill someone with a drinking glass?"

"As a matter of fact yes it's a classic really."

"Huh out of curiosity how does it work?"

"I won't tell you everything but have you ever made a glass cup ring by sliding your finger around the top?"

"Yeah a few times."

"Well if you make the glass ring at a precise frequency which requires a very steady finger you'll generate a powerful sound wave that given a decent amount of time like let's say about 56.2 seconds can cause the brain to slowly and painfully hemorrhage."

"Your serious you ever use it?"

"Six or seven times on people whom I wanted to take my time in smothering out their flame."

"Hmm that's huh… creepy."

"Yeah enough of that if you were wondering I'm here because the Sire asked me to keep an eye on Jordan."

"How did you get here?"

"I stool aboard your ship when you guys left our base."

"Is there something wrong with Jordan that your boss has an eagle eye looking at him?"

"It's nothing of great concern I assure you of that."

"Forgive me If I don't feel okay about this but what's really your game here Noctis, first you try to slice Jordan into bits then your tailing him because your boss told you to?"

Noctis was silent.

"Ok the truth then I gotta say Isaac you're very strong willed I'm keeping tabs on Jordan because I care immensely for him… the people that he grew up with were not his real parents they were of the Hex family but not his mother and father they volunteered to raise him."

"You're his father, I take it he doesn't have a clue?"

"No."

"Why did you give him to others?"

"In our family the father is responsible for the training of their child and… when I was little I was given to a ninja named Kuro Tazuki he was one of the best ninja in all of Japan he taught me the way of the ninja everything but his teaching methods were of the most brutal sort I was basically brutalized."

"How old were you?"

"I was 8 years old."

"Jesus."

"Don't be so surprised most clans trained their young ones at a young age some started when they were six years old, by ten and twelve there already using real blades but my training was nothing compared to most kids."

Both sit at a nearby fountain.

"That's really young to be trained as a killer."

"Yeah I killed my first man when I was 12 to put what he taught me to the test I was to assassinate an Earthgove soldier who patrolled near our area, I ambushed him in an alley broke his gun leaving only his knife and pistol I eventually got his gun away from him and made him stab himself in the chest, piercing his heart before that he threw a few good hits on me when we fought hand to hand but after that I grabbed his head and continuously bashed his head against the concrete wall until his helmet broke off his head, I kept going hitting him on the wall until his face was fucked up and bloody he was so close to death one more hard hit then held be done for before I made the last hit he begged me to stop, begged for his life he was so desperate he pulled a holo photo of two young boys out of his RIG he told me they were his sons and that he was all they had left in the world after their mother died, he cried and begged me to not orphan his sons yet I showed no mercy or remorse thus I arched his head back and bashed it on the corner while yelling in rage, the front of his head just splattered, opened up blood and grey matter leaked out of the breach in his head… I watched as the blood reached my feet and his RIG go from a blinking dark red to black along with a flat line vital tone."

"My god that's… one hell of a childhood and you killed that guy at a young age of 12 no remorse in cold blood just like that?"

"Yes I hesitated at first but he said there wouldn't be a time where I won't have to ever kill to reach my goals, so I had to learn and experience what it's like to kill someone that was my test to keep going."

He rises.

"That's why I gave Jordan to those two guardians I didn't want to put him thought that, my master's teaching style rubbed off onto me thus if I had trained my son I would have done to him what Kuro did when I was his student, the training would have destroyed him, I demand a lot out of a student and only few are able to endure and thrive through my teachings, the one who posed as his father, his teaching methods were more easy going."

"Wow defiantly remakes my perspective on ninjas."

"Yeah enough about my life's story like I said I'm here to look after him but I think he's in good hands being with you and your friends but I'll still be watching."

"I'll make sure he stays out of trouble."

Noctis nods in agreement and walks away disappearing into a small crowd.


	10. Chapter 10

Minutes after Noctis disappears, Jordan walks up to Isaac.

"Isaac."

"Hay what's up?"

"Alright the ship has been refueled, restocked on ammo, supplies the works we're ready to check out that system whenever you're ready."

"Oh good how do you feel about going tonight?"

"Sure why not, I'll go tell Carver?"

"Hay, have you seen Fable anywhere?"

"No I haven't."

"Mind if I come along?"

"Huh speak of the devil where have you been?"

"Around catching up on the three years I've missed you tend to lose your perception of time and current events being locked up in a triple max prison."

"Sure we could always use an extra hand."

"I hear you developed telekinesis."

[As they start walking towards a courtyard]

"Yeah I did and hurt like hell getting it."

"Hmm so what do we think is out there at those coordinates?"

"According to our new pirate friends it's the base of operations for the group of people that kidnapped Alfred."

"I looked into these coordinates this is very deep space I mean not even the Sovereign colonies went that deep it's much further then Tau Volantis from known space."

"I know that's way I had the Patriarch outfitted with extra fuel cells just in case we're in for a long shockspace trip if going there."

"Nice guess we're all set then, I'll meet you guys at the hanger tonight."

"Okay we'll make sure Carver knows."

"Good."

Isaac visits Hawk's lab and finds her sitting at the couch he sits next to her.

"Oh hi Isaac."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes… I'm just looking at old stuff from when your father disappeared."

[Isaac looks at the files]

"USM Midnight that's the name of the ship he was on?"

"Yes the Midnight was last of her class of heavy cruisers and had your father and everyone aboard got back from their mission it would have been retired and decommissioned."

"It says they recovered a part of the ship?"

"Yes the aft part of the ship that was the only part of it we recovered the mid and bow of the Midnight were never found what's strange is when it was investigated extensively there was no sign of battle but they did find human limbs and blood every throughout the ship so at the time everyone assumed the worst and presumed everyone dead, now however they found no trace of any of the engineers or scientists that were on the ship."

"How did they know none of them were among the casualties?"

"Well they managed to ID everyone they did find through DNA analysis and med records all that, everyone was accounted for but…"

"The engineers and the scientists."

"Yes it's strange it's like someone or something took them because they wanted them but one else because all the identified ones were crew and military."

"I talked to that Carmichael guy again he was possessed by the same entity from before he told me that he was there the day the Midnight was attacked, that he witnessed his brother the Elder moon attacking it and taking Poul and his engineers."

"What… so you mean Poul is alive? [Shocked]

"According to him yes but I'm having trouble believing it, I want to believe it but I don't know."

"You said he's the brother of the Elder moon is he moon as well?"

"I think so but unlike the others he doesn't follow them just like our AI friend said the other moons are just copies of the first but him… he was once just like the first something different."

"If he's a threat to him and his moons won't that make him an ally?"

"He seems like one well maybe more like a neutral ally at the moment."

"I don't suppose he told you where he might be being held?"

"No but I can imagine if he is alive and being held captive, it be a heavily defended place."

"Hmm too bad well I'm sure if he is alive he's ok."

"I hope so listen Jordan, Carver, Fable and I are going to check out something… a lead."

"Okay where is this lead going to take you, what are you up to Isaac?"

"Carver found a vid log from Adrian's private files it showed a group of armed people throughout the station kidnapping a number of people including my friend Alfred."

"So the outbreak was just a distraction then."

"Partially, it was also an attempt to hand over the last of humanity to the moons."

"Thankfully we foiled that but why were they snatching these people for what purpose and who are they?"

"According to the guy we got these files off of, they're related to the unitologist but not like the ones that toppled the government these guys are different."

"You'd think they would have disbanded with their leader dead."

"Ah crap… that's the thing apparently the unitologist what remains of them are still in the race and my mother is the new high priestess of the damn religion."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah she's also alive after years of not talking or hearing anything from her."

"This complicates things I should report this to the council if they haven't already noticed this."

"Good idea well I better get going we leave tonight I'll contact you if we find anything interesting."

"Okay be careful Isaac… oh that reminds me the council has been asking me about you they want to know if you would be willing to meet with them at your convenience."

"The council… wants to meet with me after they for half a year had their attack dogs hunting me and Ellie as if we were terrorist?"

"They'll understand if you don't want to speak to them they know your still upset about what happened on and after Titan but if you just give them a chance."

"Ha upset of course I'm still upset they took my life away and they are lucky that I've yet to have the audacity to try to take theirs in return and did they give me a chance when they held me captive and deemed me mentally insane putting me in a straight jacket and painting me a public enemy."

"Like I said Isaac they'll understand if you choose not to."

Isaac runs his fingers through his hair and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Okay fine, tell them I'll think about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm slightly interested as to what miserable excuses they're going to use this time, to justify what they did." [Sarcastically]

"Alright I'll let them know."

"Look Madison I'm sorry, being kept prisoner and being put in stasis whenever they weren't using me to build their marker… I missed three years of my life I lost things that were meaningful to me."

"I know and believe me If I had known what they were doing I would have done everything I could to help you, as soon as I was made aware of their activities with you I confronted the council I was furious I made a promise to your father's memory when I thought he was gone to look after you and I couldn't and I'm so sorry."

"It's okay what's done is done… later."

Isaac exits the lab, later that day Isaac meets Carver and Fable at the hanger.

"Hay guys… are we ready?" [Asked Hex]

"Yeah we're all here let's get going."

The Patriarch leaves the hanger and enters shockspace. After hours of traveling through the cosmos jumping vast light years they are forced to exit shockspace when the ship malfunctions Isaac rushes to the cockpit.

"Hex what's happening?"

"Everyone relax I was expecting this its nothing to worry about I just need to change the shockpoint drive."

"Ah I remember the same one you used that was damaged."

"Yeah it was only a manner of time before it was going to die out the patches on it weren't going to last forever that's why I brought a new one."

"Need help?"

"No I can do it you can help by watching the sensors for me for anything that's heading our way."

"Okay, give a shout if you need help." [Sits in the pilot seat]

Hex carries the shockdrive to the engine core while Isaac keeps the ship leveled moments later the Patriarch's sensors detect an anomaly.

"Uh Hex."

"What is it?"

"The sensors are picking up an SOS signal that just activated its coming from floating wreckage near us."

"Okay well let's see who it is but drive her slowly okay I'm still working on this."

"Okay."

Isaac drives the Patriarch to the mysterious distress call, as the ship gently glides through space they come up on a field of debris and small asteroids. After slowly navigating through the field they get caught in a cloud of dust that obscures the ships sensors and Isaac's vision.

"Ah damn it."

"Seconds later they clear the cloud, the sensors then begin to read a large mass that appeared seemingly out of nowhere."

"Collision warning!" [The ships computer sounded]

"Shit guys hold on to something!"

Isaac tries to pull the ship up but then crashes into the side of the mass knocking everyone off their feet.

"Isaac what hell, what happened!"

"We crashed into something… I think it's a ship well part of one. [Looks out the window]

"Are the instruments showing any damage?"

"No but the ships left wing is stuck inside the ship, it pierced right through the its hull, Fable and I can fix it."

"I'll suit up. [Said Fable]

"Right I'll meet you outside."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah we have fusion cutters we can cut around it and it should slip out."

"Okay the shockdrive is installed I'll go to the bridge and activate the gravity tethers to keep her steady."

"Okay let's do this."

Fable and Isaac put on their EVA suits and tended to the ship's wing, Hex activates the tethers and stabilizing the wreckage allowing Isaac and Fable to cut the ship free.

"This ship is huge it looks like an old heavy cruiser class I can't tell if it's Sovereign Colony of EarthGov though." [Carver enters the cockpit]

Hex then notices the SOS signal.

"Guys the SOS is coming from this old ship we crashed into."

"Huh okay well Fable and I will explore when we get this done we almost got it just little more and the whole thing will come apart and the wing will slip right out of the breach."

"Good keep at it."

Moments later both finish cutting the ship free and the ship wing slips out.

"Hay Hex you said this looks like part of a heavy cruiser?"

"Yeah it looks like a very old class that was decommissioned years ago but it could be older the Sovereign Colonies used heavy ship like this so I can't really tell the SOS doesn't show the ships signature."

"Well CMS, USG USM or not they all usually had the ships logo on them sometimes near the bridge."

Isaac and Fable split up to explore the half a ship, Fable goes into the ship while Isaac explores the outside and searches for the ships logo. While Fable searches the ships interior he's startled when a dried mummified corpse bumps into him, Fable looks closer at a patch on the shoulder.

"EarthGov Special Forces."

"Guys I encountered body good news is from what I can tell there no necros to worry about but this ship is defiantly EarthGov."

"I know I found the ship's logo the crest is here too." [Isaac answered]

As Isaac tries to brush dirt off of the crest he comes by four letters beside it.

"M, I, D, N."

He then clears the dirt completely and is shocked by his discovery.

"USM… R.I.G contact Hawk, Madison." [RIGLink opens]

"Ah Isaac are you oaky?"

"Yeah we're fine listen the ship my father was serving on when he vanished, what was its name again?"

"Um… the USM Midnight why?"

Isaac looks again at the ships name of the crest which reads "USM MIDNIGHT."

"Oh god Hawk I think we found the missing half of the Midnight."

"What oh my god are you sure?"

Dayloos appears out of Isaac R.I.G.

"I looked into EarthGov records and ran a comparison on the Midnight's signature with this ship they are an exact match and the way the ship was broken in two, all the edges line up perfectly with the Aft, the only half that was found."

"My god this is unbelievable."

"Hawk are you okay"

"I… really don't know… how much of the ship have you explored?"

"Uh Fable has done the interior a bit I've only explored the hull I'll go meet with him and we'll check out the rest of it."

"Okay I'll be on hold." [The RIGLink closes]

"Isaac I found the crew quarters and I think I found your dad's room on the door it says "Chief Engineer: Poul Clarke."

"That's my dad's name I'll be right there."

While Fable waits for Isaac he looks around the room and he finds an old picture of Poul and his wife Octavia holding a baby in their arms, Fable presumes the baby is Isaac. Isaac enters the room both of their visor lights brighten it.

"Found this your parents and I think that's you in their arms." [Hands him the photo]

"It is…" [He sighs]

"You ok?"

"Yes and no I don't know what to think or make of all this."

"Check it out a data pad it's busted but the memory chip is intact I can get stuff out of it if I work on it, there's another and this one is still working."

"Let me see…"

"What is it?"

"It's a log not his personal but it contains info about their mission but its classified I can't get by it must be ID locked maybe Hawk can take a look at it… Hawk you still there?"

"Yes I'm here, find anything?"

"I found my dad's room inside a couple of his data pads both are ID locked I need you to see if you can unlock them."

"Sure thing I can do that."

"Because to my knowledge these are made to delete anything on them if they're handled improperly."

"Yes that correct if its ID locked I would have to dig up your fathers old ID in the system and use that."

"Can you do that I mean that doesn't sound legal."

"Well if there was still an official government it would be, normally I'd need authorization form the council and quite a few other people to do this but this will be our little secret."

"You're a bad girl Hawk."

"I know I'm not a play by the rules type of person I tend to piss people off but whether they like it or not they are stuck with me because I'm the best they got this job I have… ah I found it I just need you to connect the data pads to your RIG and I can remotely unlock them from here."

"Okay there connected."

"Alright I'm reactivating the ID anything yet?"

"Yes it worked its unlocked… looks like EarthGov knew about the moons just like the Sovereign Colonies did they even knew about Tau Volantis."

"That can't be right I was never made aware of that they said the moons were new to them but they knew they said the same thing about Tau Volantis."

"Ever get the feeling that they lie to you."

"All the time but they should have told me this."

"It kind a makes sense if EarthGov knew about Tau Volantis and Aegis VII they wouldn't at the very least warn them about the dangers there after all they were losing the war and EarthGov wanted to just finish them off so they forced them to exile themselves in deep space feeding them to the markers they put there and abandoned after they realized what they did when they were activated it consumed them, it's just like Kendra said the experiment after hundreds of years was still alive."

"That's… this is mind blowing."

"As much I want to dig more we should get back to the mission but Hawk if you can send a salvage team to bring this closer to sanctuary if there are more things to find on this ship we just don't have time to look right now."

"Already done they'll take it to secure location where we can look at it later."

"Good I'll let you know if we find these unitologist."

"Okay be careful out there."

"Isaac out."

They leave the wreckage behind and continue their long trip to the coordinates. On and unknown planet Alfred remains in the dark until his cell door opens with armed guards entering and taking him away he's dragged through hallways lit with marker glyphs he's eventually taken into a large chamber and strapped onto a table. He struggles as they bind him with metal shackles after they finished securing him a figure in a white hood and cloak enters the chamber and walks to Alfred.

"Why are you doing this who the fuck are you people!?"

"One reason is to lure your friend Isaac and the other a test subject for a new form of our angels."

He walks to a pedestal that opens revealing a pulsating red glowing heart like object; the cloaked figure takes it in his hand and moves closer to Alfred. Then a large door on the far side of the room opens, a very large necromorph walks in and towards them after it reaches them it grabs Alfred's jaw forcing it open.

"Ah no… let go of me!"

Alfred squirms trying to get free but more guards hold him down and the cloaked man then places the nocromorphic object on his chest. It lifts itself with tiny tentacles to his mouth then forces it way down his throat, he squirms on the table violently choking up blood.

"Don't worry Mr. Parker it only hurts for a few hours but then I promise you will have power humans the flawed creatures that they are can only dream of having." [Signals the necromorph to release him]

The large necromorph then carries Alfred off on its back down a long hallway lit by candles.


	11. Chapter 11

Hours later they finally arrive at the coordinates.

"Hay guys, looks like we're here."

Isaac and Fable come to the bridge.

"Whoa that planet is huge." [Commented Fable]

"Has to be it there's nothing else near this star system for thousands of light-years and it's the only habitable planet here."

"Alright let's take a closer look."

The ship enters the atmosphere and moments later.

"Okay bad news and good news."

"Ugh let's hear it." [Carver groaned]

"There's a very big sand storm heading our way and it looks like it's not gonna let up anytime soon."

"Crap how bad does it look?"

"Noting hellish like on Solntse but the winds are strong gusting about 450mph and the sand contains micro razor sharp metallic shards that can rip right through our suits like tissue paper, now think of what that can do to bare skin."

"We get its lethal weather."

"The good news is that there's a large cavern system nearby where I can set her down, good thing too the ship's shields can withstand the barrage but I don't want to risk it."

The ship lands in the cavern, Hex and Carver stay with the ship while Isaac and Fable explored the caves. As they wait until the storm subsides enough for them to search the planet, Hex leaves the cockpit and goes to the hold.

"Hay."

"Hay how is it out there?"

"The storm is still raging, what you got there?"

"A picture of my son."

"I heard what happened on Uxor, the spineless bastard Danik."

"Yeah it was bad, really bad."

"I'm sorry I'll understand if it's a sensitive subject."

"No, no its okay I mean… I still feel for it but it doesn't bother me as much anymore."

"Well he looks like he was nice kid."

"Yeah he was… he idolized me I got the feeling he wanted to be like me, a soldier but I didn't want to."

"Why?"

"I've done things in my past in the military that I'm not proud of and I was afraid that he would do the same things I did and make the same mistakes as me overall I was afraid he would've became something worse than the man I use to be."

"Carver you cared about him it's a father's job to care about his kids you only did your job as a father."

"I know but I let it get to me and I ended up pushing him and Damara away I tried protecting him and it cost me my relationship with him and my wife."

Hex was silent.

"But I stopped beating myself up over it thanks to Isaac, he helped me overcome my guilt."

"What happened when you both were on Tau?"

"As we went on with our mission the markers tried to take me by taunting me with apparitions of Dylan and Damara sort of like what Isaac went through on Titan."

"And me, remember when I woke you guys up with my screaming?"

"Yeah you told me that you saw your dad."

"Saw and felt him, I really hated that I know it wasn't lie but it felt and looked so real."

"I hear that when it happened to me I was convinced that the things I saw were my son and wife."

Isaac and Fable stumble upon an old bunker like hatch.

"Obviously someone's been here before." [As Isaac walks up to it]

"There still power but the door is rusted like hell."

"I'm not detecting anything beyond it this door is made of anti-scan alloy penetrating scans won't go through it."

"Isaac to Hex you read?"

"Yeah I read what's up?"

"We found a hatch at the end of tunnel we found it looks old but it looks like it's been used recently."

"Any idea where it might lead?"

"No our scans can't get through it we'll have to explore further."

"Okay be careful?"

They open the hatch revealing a long rocky passage; they walk down the path until they come to a large and wide chamber both quickly crouch behind a rock as they spot two sentries.

"These guys look different from the ones that were kidnapping those people." [Isaac whispers to Fable]

"Notice something else about them?"

Isaac peaks at them.

"The way they move and the pincers on their backs."

"They're like slashers."

"Slashers using guns, well that's new."

Suddenly the two slasher-like troops drop from the ceiling behind them, they charge at Isaac and Fable snarling and shooting at them. They quickly dismember them shooting both upper limbs off, the slashers fall to the ground.

"Well these are unlike any other necro I've ever seen."

Isaac kneels to a slasher.

"These suits they're wearing, like RIG suits but not meant for humans it's like there made specifically for a slasher's body."

Before Isaac can look closer the slasher's body disintegrates along with the suit.

"Dammit this keeps happening to every necromorph we encounter."

"The necormorphs on the Ishimura didn't do this when they were slain they just stayed there like any corpse would."

"They been doing this since this war started maybe it has to do with them evolving or something."

"Isaac, Fable come in you guys okay?"

"Isaac here we read you what's up?"

"I'm picking up communication signals coming from deep inside the mountains the carven system were in connects with them it might be there base."

"My thoughts as well we just got jumped by two slashers."

"Slashers… crap there's necros here then."

"Yeah but something is off these acted very different form your typical slasher they had human level intelligence they acted tactical hiding behind cover in a fire ready stance they were using guns like as if they were trained to use them."

"Shit first axes and clubs now they're thinking smart enough to use guns?"

"So it might seem."

"Alright we're moving on hopefully there's no more surprises waiting."

"Yeah right dream on Isaac with necros there's always surprises."

They continue onward when they find a temple-like entrance in the shape of a pyramid towering above them with necromorph statues sitting on monoliths clad in marker text, Isaac and Fable stand at a long stairway to a gigantic stone door. Walking up the dark stoned steps they gaze at a marker sitting in an alcove above the door.

"Holy crap." [Fable exclaims]

"Okay this looks like it was manmade."

"Yeah if unitologist made this then they've taken their worshipping to a whole new level."

"Hex we found something, something big." [Opens a RIGLink]

"I know I see that is huge and looks too medieval like to be alien."

"I know that guy we interrogated did say they're unitologist but were much different than the ones we know… we're going inside."

"Whoa are you sure about this Isaac something really feels off about this?"

"Yeah I agree with Carver something's wrong here. [Said Hex]

"I know I feel it too we won't look far but if Alfred and those kidnapped people are here then we have to help them, don't worry we'll check in every 15 minutes."

"10 minutes."

"Alright 10."

Both reach the top of the stairs and push the large doors open walking into a big chamber dimly lit by a large chandelier, the pillars holding up the ceiling bare glowing red marker symbols. Before they continue on exploring Isaac and Fable ready their weapons at the sound of snarling and growling.

"Up there!"

Fable points to a balcony overlooking the hall at a man in a white cloak and hood whom appears out of a dark archway accompanied by two large necromorphs that stand beside him.

"Ah Isaac Clarke it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"And you are?"

"My name is Alexander McConner the arch priest of this great religion."

"You guys don't seem like your usual unitologist."

"We serve the moons as the markers serve them unlike those wretched heretics who blindly followed the lie reeking words of Michael Altman that false prophet he was nothing but a tool to them."

"I take it Jacob Danik was also a tool." [Asked Fable]

"Indeed he was we all are nothing but expendable resources in the moons eyes if and when we've outlived our purposes they cast us aside like pieces dross, they learned this when you revealed the truth about convergence to them what they were unknowingly helping for so long."

"Why are you kidnapping people, where is Alfred?"

"You're here looking for your old friend yes we have him but if you want him back you'll have to work for it though I can't guarantee you'll like what you will see when you find him."

"You bastard." [Angered]

"We are using them to improve the moons servants, researching ways to rectify the natural flaws necromorphs often emerge with, flaws that hinder their performances and abilities you both have already killed two of our improved servants and a few others."

"The Krakens?"

"No they are the product of another element one in which I cannot speak of but these beautiful pieces art standing beside me are our doing are they not astonishing we call them Graverobbers."

He looks to the Graverobber on his left, he reaches up and strokes the side of its head; it crouches lower to his height and softly growls.

"These are one of the most impressive necromorphs we've worked on though creating them is tricky we had to try different methods to see what we got before we found out how to make them plus the original Graverobber was destroyed before we could get enough data on it thanks to your friend here but it was of no consequence." [Alex then laughs]

"You both got me monologuing I'd love to stay and chat some more but I have things to do, my zealots will take care of you."

He turns away and walks off into the dark hallway, his necromorph bodyguards follow. Doors around them open and cloaked and hooded men and slashers enter wielding swords and blades, they slowly move closer to them while chanting and whispering mantras. Both raise their weapons ready to fight the demented monks.


	12. Chapter 12

Isaac and Fable fight fiercely against the zealots, which keep coming at them wave after wave.

"Jesus, how many are there!"

"I don't know but my damn guns are overheating and I'm running low on ammo."

"Shit me too."

The duo spent another few minutes fighting until only a few dozen necromophs and zealots remained, both are forced into a corner with the horde slowly closing in on them. A slasher charges towards them and before it can get close to Isaac a giant scythe impales it through its torso, then it's yanked away and ripped in half with blood splattering everywhere, the other necromorphs direct their attention away from Isaac and Fable to the single man behind them.

"Noctis?"

The necromorphs surround him and as they attack, Noctis executes lightning-fast slashes with his kusarigama eviscerating them in into shreds. The remaining cultist approach him cautiously as he keeps them at a distance spinning the scythe around him, they run up to him all at once with their swords ready to strike, Noctis beheads three with one swipe of the chained blade. One zealot tries approaching him from behind, he throws the spiked ball half of his weapon in the air and as it comes down he kicks it at the zealot bashing his head launching him a few feet in the air he runs to the zealot and pulverizes his head with the spiked ball. The last of the necros charge and Noctis cuts up the last two on his right while he launches the blade into it forehead, he tugs on the chain ripping the slasher's head clean off then severs the rest of its limbs killing it.

"You guys looked like you needed some help." [Retracts his helmet]

"Holy shit do all ninjas like there fights bloody or is that just your preference?" [Rolls up the kusarigama]

"I like it bloody when I'm in the mood to kill; but I mostly stick to the shadows and kill if I have to."

"Where you hear this whole time?" [Asked Isaac]

"Yes I was already here I listened in on your conversation with that hooded freak sounds like these guys are up to something big, enhancing necromorphs speaking of which didn't he mention you Fable killing one of those necro escorts of his before?"

"Yes I encountered one of those things, the Graverobber on the Ishimura a few times, the bastard chased me for hours, I caught a break when went after security chief Alissa Vincent damn she was a tough cookie a real hard ass."

"What happened?" [Asked Noctis]

"She led it to the centrifuge chamber where it got crushed by the machine itself, thought that was the end of it but half an hour later I ran into it again it was all badly messed up from the centrifuge but it was still alive, I finally killed it when I trapped it on the USM Valor when it exploded right after you left the area and got away with the singularity core for Kyne's shuttle I was crawling my ass through the vents to escape the blast."

"Hehe, that explains a lot."

"Yeah and you know the rest I noticed your shuttle and I shadowed you throughout ship all that shit."

[Isaac's RIG beeps]

"Isaac what's going on it been more than 10 minutes?"

"We ran into some trouble but we're fine, we're moving on we just met the big kahuna of these guys."

"Did he mention anything about the kidnapped or your friend?"

"Yeah he did."

"Alright Isaac we're coming with Hex finally got accurate scans on this place, it's a lot bigger than it looks the temple runs about 450 miles underground there are tunnels that go just as deep its fucking maze."

"Yeah your right we'll get a lot down if we go together, just go straight through the cave it'll lead right to the temple doors we're behind them."

"Alright we'll be there soon."

Hex goes to a storage locker; he opens it grabbing a katana sword, he draws the blade halfway then slowly sheaths it and mounts it on his back in his RIG.

"Alright Carver lets go."

"Isaac its Carver we're catching up to you guys, move on ahead for now."

"Okay be careful."

Isaac and Fable continue on deeper into the temple with Carver and Hex not far behind them. After going down a hallway they come to a balcony overlooking a large chamber both crouch as to not be seen by the company below them. They see the same man they met before with his Graverobbers and a few zealots behind him with their heads bowed and arms raised, chanting mantras at an altar that stands before a marker statue surrounded by many candles.

"It's that guy again." [Whispers to Isaac]

The chanting ceases and the monks vacate the chamber while the arch priest and his body guards stay.

"Hello again Isaac, Mr. Fable."

The Graverobbers look up towards Isaac and Fable and move close to them growling. Alexander raises his hand; they stop moving and look towards him.

"Be nice to our guest boys, sit." [Both sit in a dog-like manner]

"You again where is he Alex?" [Demandingly]

"Still haven't found him this is a very big edifice hundreds of places for him to be hidden."

"Damn you, stop fucking around with me where is he!?"

"You are very strong willed and minded… fine; you will find your friend in the dungeons deep in the caverns below us the path is pretty straight forward in that direction." [Points to a path to his right]

"Just like that?"

"Well I didn't say I was going to make it easy for you." [Snaps his fingers]

The walls behind Isaac and Fable open up with more monks moving to attack, fighting for a while Hex and Carver converge with Isaac and Fable finishing off the remaining monks.

"You guys okay?"

"Yeah… I think we know where Alfred and the kidnapped are being held, somewhere down in the caverns that's where the dungeons are this passage should take us there."

The four fight their way through hordes of necromorphs and monks through endless corridors until the come to a massive staircase leading deeper underground, going down dozens of spirals they enter a cavern in the distance Isaac sees a tower-like structure. They cross a long bridge to get to the tower and enter through large metal doors after getting inside Hex looks over a rail overlooking prison cells.

"Isaac, look down there!"

Isaac looks down seeing Alfred shackled to the wall.

"Alfred!"

Alfred looks up slowly at the sound of Isaac's voice.

"Isaac?" [Weakly]

"Hold on we're coming to get you just hold on!"

"No, no get out of here."

Isaac makes it first to his cell and shoots the chains binding Alfred freeing him, he helps him up.

"Isaac no get away from!"

"Wh… what?"

"I said get away from me!" [Pushes Isaac away from him]

"You don't understand I can't go with you, there's one inside me."

"What oh god no."

"Ahh I can… I can feel it moving you have to get out of here now!"

"Isaac if he's infected then there's nothing we can do… except." [Carver suggested]

"No, no damn it there has to be something that can be done."

Just then Alfred yells in pain as the parasite inside him squirms about he then falls to the floor motionless.

"Al... Al!"

Alfred's eyes shoot open no longer their hazel color but dark red, he grabs hold of Isaac's neck strangling him. He throws Isaac at the others before they could react; he grabs Isaac and holds him up in the air slowly tightening his grip on his neck. Before Alfred can kill Isaac Hex impales Alfred through his neck with his katana slicing his head in half.

"No!" [Isaac exclaimed]

Noctis arrives at the scene.

"Ah fuck, don't tell me you… shit."

"Why?"

The body begins to mutate his skin's color turning a reflective black while sprouting six large clawed arms and a bladed tail, his clothes tear and fall off him as his body becomes muscular.

"No, oh god please no."

Alfred pins Isaac to the ground with his arms ready to impale him with his claws Carver and Fable open fire on him, in response a powerful energy wave explodes from him blowing them right off the cell.

"What the fuck was that!" [Carver exclaimed]

"No idea."

"Any advice on how to beat him?"

"His arms, try dismembering his arms!"

Alfred bursts his way through the rubble, Dayloos emerges.

"Hmm curious he's capable of generating powerful bursts of kinetic energy it's emanating from his arms I'd recommend focusing on his arms to prevent him from using this ability." [Retracts into Isaac's RIG]

Alfred charges at Hex in attempt to strike him he slides out of the way and severs his lower arm Fable and Carver shoot two more off him, roaring in pain he quickly hit him with his tail sending him a few feet in the air.

"Damn it Alfred stop this isn't what you are this isn't you!"

"Isaac wake up it isn't him anymore he's one of them!" [Said Noctis]

Noctis sprints up to the beast slashing with great speed sending large sprays of blood out of it. He executes a heavy and powerful blow knocking him back a few steps then Jordan dashes and slashes its leg dazing it and forcing it to the ground. Now greatly enraged it charges its kinetic blast with its three remaining arms and emits a large blast that cripples the tower which begins to crumble apart, weakened by his blast attack Alfred falls to his knees panting and growling loudly.

"Shit this whole thing is coming down we gotta get back across the bridge!" [Said Fable]

As Isaac runs to the bridge large boulders and stalactites fall in front of him blocking his path Alfred jumps down from the ceiling in front of him, Isaac raises his plasma cutter but is knocked off his feet by his tail, Alfred hold Isaac to the ground with his foot pining him down by his chest, straining his breathing. His tail erects a sharp razor blade from its tip ready to slid Isaac's neck.

"God damn it Al it's me Isaac we've known each other and been good friends since childhood you were my best friend growing up, damn you fucking wake up, don't listen to him fight him!"

Alfred hesitates in confusion and holds his head as if in pain.

"Is… I… Isaac?"

"Wha… yes yes it's me Al Isaac."

Al lifts his foot off of him and steps back away from him fearfully and grunting hold his head, his vision chaotically changing from red and orange to normal back and forth with voices and whispers telling him to kill Isaac and others telling him to save him.

"Save him."

"Kill."

"Save."

"Kill him."

"Stop… stop!" [Alfred roared while holding his head]

"Alfred."

"No… no away, get away… I don't want to hurt you… my friend no… hurt… my… friend no run run now!"

Isaac runs around the debris and catches up with his companions to the bridge which is already beginning to fall apart. Having fought valiantly against the moon's control Alfred momentarily broke free of the marker's whim but it was short lived as the Elder Moon regained control over him and the voices urging him to save his friend faded away and the voices that commanded him to kill Isaac prevailed. Having Isaac's scent he pursues him, Isaac makes it half way across the bridge when it goes critical from another kinetic blast from Alfred, racing against little time before him and his former friend fall to their deaths. Isaac trips and falls to the floor, Al leaps at Isaac when Carver pulls him out of the way. Carver is whipped away by his tail and his torso open up revealing a heart like ganglion glowing and beating, as he attempts to kill Isaac once more Isaac draws his plasma cutter and shoots the heart.

"I'm sorry."

It explodes spewing gushing amounts of blood. Defeated Al slowly walks to the edge holding his chest, Isaac runs to Al as he falls over the edge and catches him by one of his arms.

"No, Al come on we'll get you out of here!"

The last parts of the bridge break away due to the Al's weight, Al looks up to Isaac.

"Let… go."

"What no we can get out of here come one Al we can make it all of us!"

"Let go… or we… both… die please let me go… Isaac… my… friend."

"No!"

Alfred reaches up and digs and sinks his sharp claws into Isaac's hand try to force him to release him. His blood soaks his hand making Al slip from Isaac's grasp.

"Ahhh No no, ahhh damn it no Al we can still get out please don't do this!"

Al finally slips through Isaac's fingers; he falls and vanishes into the blackness of the abyssal cliff his glowing red eyes being the last thing to fade away into the darkness. Isaac stares down the cliff in shock his hand still trying to reach for Al's hand with blood dripping off the tips of his fingers. A minute goes by and Isaac comes to his senses and rises on his feet, he slowly walks away toward the staircase back to the surface.


	13. Chapter 13

As they make their way back up the staircase Isaac still remains silent, Jordan tries to talk to him but is stopped by Carver when he places his hand on his shoulder, and nods.

"He needs time." [Whispers]

They keep walking and they stop when Isaac thrusts his fist into the wall out of rage.

"Isaac come on man we need you focused."

"Trust me I'm focused, oh god am I focused."

"It's just your starting to worry us, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine just help find and kill that unitologist mother fucker… if you guys don't want to help then go wait on the ship and I'll do it myself and if I have to I'll tear this whole god damn temple apart."

"I know how you feel Isaac I watched my wife and son turn into monsters, and I had to put em down myself."

"I guess you had it rougher than me eh?"

"No you actually you did, you been through this shit for a long time and I've only been in this for a short time sure we both have seen a lot of death but you've had the worst of this hell."

"Carver thanks for trying to make me feel better but right now I just want that bastard dead."

"Look Isaac we're right there with you I agree that fucker deserves to get whacked but you have to keep your head, stay with us."

"Don't worry I haven't lost it yet and I, not about to lose it now you can count on that."

"Alright let's go get that son of a bitch." [They push on]

"I've been scouting around the temple and this place is a lot bigger than it looks, this section of the temple is just a small tendril of the central complex which resides behind this mountain." [Said Noctis]

"Who are these people I mean there not like the unitologist we've fought these guys are more… more psycho than Danik's men and himself they give the word "extremist" a new level of crazy."

"I don't know but if he was truthful about being different from the other unitologist then these guys are something else."

"Yeah you know that hatch we used to get here that was part of a bunker…"

"Sovereign Colonies?" [Isaac asked]

"Yep." [Answered Noctis]

"Damn you mean to tell me that these guys are or were Sovereign Colonies once?"

"If they were then these guys are their progenies they must have somehow gotten cut off from them and were stranded here and waited to die… but they didn't."

"That makes sense but it's crazy that they eventually became crazed religious psychopaths."

"Sounds like something from a few horror movies I've seen but this is creepier because this isn't fiction." [Said Jordan]

As they move deeper into the temple searching for the man responsible for Alfred's death Isaac is contacted on his RIG.

"Ah Mr. Clarke did you enjoy the reunion with your friend, from the commotion I heard and felt down there it sounded like it was one hell of a party?"

"McConner listen to me and listen well you better hope I don't find you."

"Oh did I stab a nerve?"

"You've stabbed a lot of my nerves and it's a miracle for you that I don't have your head on a stick yet."

"I'm sure you'd enjoy that, I hear your mother has assumed control over the ruined remnants of the unitologist as I understand your past correctly your relationship with her was almost non-existent as well as with your father."

"Don't start."

"Pardon?"

"Don't start with me on that subject and my past is none of your damn business."  
"Very sensitive about our past are we?"

"Stop just stop, because I'm really getting tired your shit!"

"Hmm then maybe we should stop talking then… come to the citadel there's something I'd like to show you , if you're feeling up to it." [RIGLink closes]

"Bastard sent us coordinates they lead into that area we were talking about."

"Let's go."

They follow the long corridors leading to the larger areas of the temple towards the citadel, on route they are met with more resistance intent on slowing them down. The group is able to fight off the hoards but barely, they all make it to a bridge linking to the citadel which stands as a large tower reaching high up into the sky with its view covered by the surrounding mountains.

"The waypoint leads across."

"Shit, we got more company."

"There they are kill them they mustn't reach the citadel!"

More of the intelligent Slashers sprint towards them shooting their plasma rifles Isaac and his comrades quickly takes cover behind torch stands. As they continue firing on them Jordan sees two of the Slashers carrying a large demolition charge to the edge of the bridge activating it.

"Destroy the bridge!"

"Damn it we have to move!" [Shouted Jordan]

The destructive charge explodes causing the bridge to fall apart behind them they manage to out run the collapse the Slashers roar in anger at their survival. As they walk towards the citadel the gates open and a lift to the tower's upper levels sites waiting for them, the lift takes them half way up the tower. As they get off the they see a large chamber filled with plant-like growth covering the rest of the tower's interior.

"The hell." [stated Carver]

Once more they are greeted by the archpriest.

"Your tenacity is most admirable but also irritating Mr. Clarke I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop."

"What's the matter am I stabbing a few of your nerves now?"

"Oh haha well yes you could say that but I'm not the one whom you've been pissing off lately, do you see that in the garden's center?"

"Another one of your fucking pet projects?"

"Exactly only this is my greatest work yet, we've been experimenting with many types of necromorphs but not like this some are created from mere humans and animals as far as I knew when I first studied these glorious beings alongside Dr. Serrano; while this one is made from plants but the center, its heart is what's really special a little help from the our gods made this possible."

"Serrano… Earl Serrano?"

"Yes he and I were partners for a short time."

"That's… impossible he lived over 200 years ago that would mean you're…"

"Much older than all of you, yes my loyal service to the gods were awarded I gained a taste of what we will eventually become when I… helped the infection spread on Tau Volantis and tipped off General Mahad about Earl's attempts to sabotage the execution order."

He slides back his hood revealing his face which is scared and slightly deformed with grey skin, his eyes dimly glowing with crimson luster.

"As you can see the marker's effects are imperfect but like what our gods believe immortality via the markers is indeed possible they utilize evolution as a tool and evolution is in the long run the only path to there is to travel though it is a path that few are fit to walk, survival of the fittest and your people whatever remains of you are not and never will be fit for what is coming."

The plant's vines fuse together forming platforms that he uses to step down to the center. He places his hand on it while it pulsates and glows brightly.

"It's almost time, you wanted to know what we were doing with most of the prisoners this is it and it like many things being made elsewhere will bring the rest of your people to their demise."

"Not if we stop you first and almost time for what?"

"Let's see how far you can get then."

"Almost time for what?!"

"Oh you'll see."

He looks up to his bodyguard on his right and whistles to it, it leaps down from the upper floor landing in front of them Isaac readies his plasma cutter aiming for its face as it slowly walks on all fours towards them snarling and drooling with hunger . The Graverobber lashes at them as they open fire; the archpriest watches the fight with his remaining bodyguard. Weakened the Graverobber falls to the floor breathing heavily but after a few seconds if rises again regenerating its wounds.

"Jesus he's healing himself!" [Jordan shouts]

Jordan and Noctis sprint up to it as Isaac and Carver shoot for its legs making it falter; both with their blades sever both of its arms and step away from it. It starts regenerating again sprouting back its arms.

"Now this fuck is pissing me off." [Said Noctis]

Noctis charges with great speed at it using his Kusarigama to cut off its left leg then its right arm enraged it tries to grab him but before it can make a move he lunges the scythe and impales it through its large claw. Noctis leaps over and behind it yanking the chain over its shoulder in attempt to make it impale itself in its throat with its own claw. It struggles to resist but then fails when Noctis thugs on the chain again making its claws cut deep into its neck he yells as he yanks the chain again making the claws erupt form the other side of its neck with it gurgling and choking on its own blood. Noctis releases his grip and it pulls its claw out of its neck spewing gushing amounts of blood then falls motionless to the floor, he walks to its claw and removes the blade out of its palm as he walk way it spring back to life and lunges at him in final attempt to kill him but half way to him he with a lighting fast slash of the scythe slices the Graverobber in half slitting it in two.

"Is that all you got hooded freak?"

Alexander was silent for a moment.

"No I believe I have a few things still left up my sleeves I've been easy on all of you, playing with you now we'll get very serious. [Turns away laughing sinisterly]

The necromorphic garden seals itself and ascends to the top of the citadel Alexander and his bodyguard hop onto its roof as it climbs up starring at Isaac.

"Shit, there up the stairs!"

"I'll meet you up top!" [Noctis climbs up going ahead of them while the others sue the stairs]

Noctis reaches the top of the tower he's attacked by the other Graverobber which almost knocks him off the roof in response he slices deep into its shoulders with the scythe then with a blade that extends out from the side of his boot slashes its throat. It holds its neck as it slowly falls to the floor but then begins to violently shake as its body steams as if it were burning, its wounds heal then sprouts two more pairs of arms and grows in size many times larger. Its head splits in two into a larger toothy mouth.

"What the fuck?"

"Evolution Noctis, it always wins, always has and always will survival of the fittest!"

"I've met some fucked up psychos in my time but your posse really hits the top."

"Insolence will get you nowhere ninja… finish them off."

Isaac and the rest catch up with Noctis.

"Noctis!"

"Go after him I'll hold this ugly bitch."

They continue while Noctis fights the last Graverobber, as they get higher up the stairs Isaac is overcome with a headache then a violent flash of orange and sees a vision of the Elder moon approaching the planet.

"Isaac what's wrong?"

"Fuck my head!"

He sees another vision of its beastly red center eye while speaking to Isaac.

"ISAAC."

"He's here the Elder moon he's coming here."

"Damn are you sure?"

"Trust me he's coming and don't want to be here when he arrives." [As he continues]

They finally reach the very top of the citadel finding Alexander waiting with the pulsating heart next to him. Behind him is a colossal maker glowing bright yellow emitting an energy hum.

"McConner!"

"You are unbelievably hard to kill has anyone ever told you that?"

"As a matter of fact yes."

"Ever since I started hearing talk about you… it's had me contemplating, whether or not your fit to for immortality."

He turns around and looks at Isaac.

"You've survived longer than most since the Ishimura and even though you've fought against the gods you still ended up doing what they wanted you to do benefitting them as well as costing them, I wonder which of us is more worthy as they say "Immortaility will come to such that are fit for it." Let's see… let us see which of us is worthy."

Suddenly Noctis bursts from the crystal roof from being tossed by the Graverobber.

"Son of a…"

Out of the roof comes the necromorph more evolved then before.

"Jesus that thing just keeps getting bigger!" [Carver exclaimed]

"I think that thing is the least of our worries… look." {Hex points to the sky]

The Elder moon emerges out of the clouds.

"Ah just in time witness the true power of the marker!"

Alexander raises his hand and points to the Graverobber, it levitates off the ground and moves to the heart. The necromorph then fuses with the heart and both turn into large cocoon.

"In a moment you will see a sample of what is to come."

An ominous voice emits from the marker as it glows red.

"Indeed they shall."

Alexander falls to his knees in respect of his god.

"My lord."

"Is it ready?"

"It is my lord it's almost done germinating."

The cocoon begins to glow brighter as it grows at alarming speed towering above the marker with its weight causing the crystal floor to crack.

"You've done well I have but one last task for you it lacks one ingredient… you."

"I am honored." [As he levitates]

He fuses with the cocoon.

"Let's see you survive this Isaac I can barley wait until I completely kill the rest of your kind your days are numbered."

"Big talk to who was once a small coward."

The Elder moon laughs at Isaac's latest insult.

"You have yet to challenge me Isaac dear boy, but that time is not far off it'll be upon us soon enough."

The marker discharges a beam of energy at the cocoon, then the moon leaves the planet and the marker stops glowing. The cocoon begins to hatch as its monstrous content breaks out of its womb the floor becomes more unstable as more cracks ripple the roof the cocoon bursts open unleashing a gigantic dragon-Graverobber necromorph. Its head splits in two revealing Alexander's torso.

"Behold the true form of mankind, the final step of evolution." [Voice echoes]

"Oh boy." [Overwhelmed]


	14. Chapter 14

The mutated cult leader takes flight flapping his dragon-like wings sending gust of wind at them.

"If you think turning yourself into that will make a difference then you've got another thing coming."

The monstrosity swoops down nearly knocking them down but Isaac manages to damage his wings making him faltering while Noctis latches onto his foot with his scythe yanking him in the air hanging from the chain. Noctis climbs up the chain then onto his left leg, sensing him he tries to shake him off.

"Get off me you filthy lesser!"

"AH shut the fuck up already!"

Noctis draws two short swords from his RIG then plunges them into beast's muscular abdomen, the winged necromorph and Alex scream in pain.

"Scream if this hurts."

He impales the blades deeper then slashes its stomach open with its entrails dangling out; the beast's tail grabs him and throws him to the ground, he lands roughly on his feet. The beast falls shattering the glass roof.

"Nice work let's get out of here."

The beast then bursts back up to the roof and mutates again becoming even bigger, this time it loses its original appearance taking the shape and form of a gigantic winged stingray it roars at the group then energy builds up in its mouth.

"Shit move!" [Isaac shouted]

"What the shit!" [Exclaimed Carver]

The beast speaks with a demonic and distorted voice.

"Evolution always wins, I am supreme, and I am a god!"

A bright yellow beam shoots form its mouth cutting through the upper top of the citadel. Half of the tower's roof gives away under Jordan; he falls off the tower seemingly falling to his death. Fable jumps off and engages his boot thrusters to try to save him.

"Jordan!" [Shouted Isaac]

The beast takes flight flapping its wings and body fins while arching its bladed tail.

"I am evolution incarnate!"

Fable catches up to Jordan and catches him before he hits the sharp cliffs surrounding the citadel both crash into a sand dune near the cave where they left the Patriarch.

"Are you okay!?"

"Yes thanks."

"The Patriarch I don't see us killing that fucker without it."

"Agreed." [Both crawl out the dune and run for the cave]

"Jordan, Fable are you both alright!"

"We're fine we're getting the ship ready it firepower can even the odds."

"Good idea hurry."

The beast circles the tower and swoops in firing its mouth beam again; the beam misses Carver by an inch slightly burning his suit on his right side. The chest on the monstrosity opens up revealing Alex infused with corruption-like substance.

"Come on Isaac show me that you're worthy, let's see which of us is worthy show me!"

The Patriarch rises behind the beast; he turns around sensing its presence.

"Eat this ugly bitch."

The ship fires large twin plasma bolts destroying its upper torso.

"Ahh… time for your punishment boy, come here!"

Tentacles erupt from its horned back and lash for the ship Jordan quickly maneuvers around evading the appendages. He puts distance between them then fires three bolts, the first blows a hole through its left fin the second severs its tail and the final severs its right wing. It falls to its knees crumbling the roof. Jordan takes a final shot to its torso knocking it over the edge, the beast falls off the citadel and down the cliff side.

"Alright Hex nice shooting!" [Cheered Carver]

"Hopefully that guy stays dead."

"I wouldn't count on it the dead these days don't seem to stay dead and buried anymore."

"Good point let's get out of here climb aboard." [Sets down the ship]

Suddenly as they get ready to leave giant tentacles shoot up from the other side of the roof top and slam down in attempt to crush the ship. Spotting them Hex swirls the ship out of there way, the sudden maneuver makes Isaac, Carver and Fable fall off of the boarding ramp landing roughly on the ground while the tentacles recede back down.

"Ah that fucking hurt." [Carver groaned]

"I'm getting too old for this shit."

"You've done well for an old man."

"Screw you what the hell happened?" [As they get up]

"Sorry about that are you guys oaky?"

"Yeah we're fine."

A giant claw rises and slams on the top of the roof, soon another clings to the edge of the citadel and then a large grotesque goliath made of billions of blood red vine-like tentacles with a snake skull as its head rises up. It screeches loudly making Isaac and Carver's ears ring.

"Oh come on!"

The skull opens up with a large proboscis covered with yellow eyes staring at Isaac and Carver.

"You won't succeed Isaac you won't stop him he will find the last two markers and bring your race and every other race out there to their demise." [As he charges his mouth fire another beam crippling the citadel]

A large ship enters the area and hovers over them Alex then climbs up its ramp, in the distance Isaac sees a cloaked and hooded woman looking at him. Isaac gets a déjà vu feeling that he's seen the woman before the ship's ramp closes up and speeds away in the sky into space.

That looked a unitologist ship."

"Yeah but… that woman I feel like I know her."

Both almost lose their balance when the citadel begins to collapse, the Patriarch lands and Isaac and Carver board and the ship quickly escapes the mountain locked area as the entire temple and reanimates of the citadel self destruct violently exploding like a nuke.

On board the archpriest changes back into human form the woman speaks.

"Isaac seems to have bested you he's stronger than I thought and I thought you were suppose to be the stronger one."

"That bastard son of yours is strong willed he was lucky but it won't last him forever, next time I will kill him and his friends."

"I hope so otherwise HE will not be pleased you know what happened to that fool Adrian Rosen when he failed."

"I won't fail that was just one of our facilities we have much more supporting us in turn HIM."

She turns and walks away.

"We'll see."

The Patriarch enters shock space and is homebound back to Sanctuary.

"Auto pilot engaged"

Hex leaves the bridge and enters the hold.

"Oh my god that was crazy and I thought that hellhole of fire planet was insane."

"Maybe but we're still alive and I say that's what matters." [Said Fable]

Hex looks at Isaac who sits silently in the far corner, Jordan walks over to him.

"Isaac you okay?"

"Yeah I'm just thinking."

"Listen I'm sorry about Al I really am, his will was extraordinary, he was very strong."

"Thanks… I'll be fine I promise I just need time okay?"

"I understand we'll be back at Sanctuary soon."


	15. Chapter 15

Dayloos emerges out of Isaac RIG showing concern.

"Isaac I'm aware of your deep emotional state but are you alright?"

"I will be I get the feeling you need to tell me something."

"Yes, the woman you saw on that ship… do you know her?"

"I don't think so why?"

"I'll skip the neural science talk and say it simply, the way your memory portion of your brain was behaving, it was indicative of recognizing her as if you knew her… but it also showed that you know her but your actively and unknowingly to you personally trying to reject what you already know of that woman."

"You got me even if it was an invasion of the privacy of my mind." [Sarcastically]

"Yes it is, I apologize."

"Alright yes I know her I guess I'm still absorbing what she become, she's my mother."

"Hmm you mentioned before your relationship with her and your father were nonexistent."

"Yeah." [Runs his fingers through his hair]

"I understand."

"You understand how your not even… organic?"

"I'm a highly advanced AI, I was created as a prototype intelligence to have the structure of a brain, well in my people's terms a Dailkuun mind."

"Huh like a neural AI, one that's made to think like a real living brain?"

"Yes the goal of the project was to create an AI that could not only learn like a person but understand what it means to be alive, to put more simply my secondary purpose was for me to be the closest an inorganic can reach to being organic while normal AIs can evolve on their own they can never fully grasp what it really is to be a living flesh and blood being, to have the mysterious force that many refer to as the soul."

"Wow so you understand because you have his memories… the real Dayloos because it was his brain you were modeled after."

"Correct which is why sometimes I refer to myself as him rather than me specifically as for Dayloos's relationship with his parents the emperor and empress of the empire was complicated they loved them but their jobs often kept them from interacting with them much, ruling a government that spanned across almost three universes can be a demanding job in a way I understand how you feel about your mother."

"What was your primary purpose other than almost being like a living person?"

"My primary purpose was to serve an ultra-advanced multi agent system to manage our autonomous defense networks and weapons, After the Dailkuun homeworld was destroyed by the creation of the Elder moon Dayloos took and stored me inside that data pyramid in the restricted sector where we meet, he told me that I had to stay there until another race discovered me so that I could warn them of the treat to all life we inadvertently created and rely all the information he knew about the markers."

"Make sense you were the only thing that survived destruction."

"Not only that he trusted me with that task."

"Oh?"

"Because we had a strong relationship with each other we were close friends when my program was in its infancy in a way he was my father so to speak he was the one that created my base program until the AI research's R&amp;D augmented me to manage our military's defense and offences."

"Well glad you're on our side."

"I have a purpose thanks to you Isaac before he left me in the data pyramid he didn't give me orders on what to do after I relayed every important thing I knew and my programming guidelines dictated that if no other orders, tasks or a purpose existed then I was to self delete to prevent enemies from capturing me."

"You're welcome."

He smiles and deactivates.

A few hours go by and they arrive at the asteroid, as they navigate through the caverns Isaac is contacted by Dr. Hawk.

"Hawk what's up?"

I'm glad to see you're all alright after all that."

"Wait you know what happened?"

"Yes I asked your AI friend to keep me posted so I heard and saw everything, I'm sorry I should have told you but I had a feeling that something was going to happen I was worried."

"It's okay I'll live; you didn't tell Ellie did you?"

"No I didn't, in fact I haven't seen her I just heard she had to go to the hospital a few hours ago."

"What… is she okay?"

"Yes I went by your place she's fine she had some strange things going on with her but she's okay."

"Hmm alright well were almost at the gate so we'll land in a few minutes."

"I'm already here waiting; Isaac I know you're not in the best of moods but the council is…"

"Is requesting to speak with me?"

"Yes but like before if you're not up to it it's perfectly fine."

"No, it's okay I'll talk to them just tell me where they want the meeting."

"In the government sector I know the place they want me to be there too."

"Sounds good." [Closes his RIGLink]

The Patriarch lands and Isaac his companions walk down the ramp, seeing Hawk waiting by a car accompanied by a guard who stands leaning with his arms crossed on the driver's side.

"Hey guys I'll catch you later I have something I need to do."

"Alright see ya." [Said Jordan]

"Isaac." [She hugs him]

"I'll be okay really but thank you."

"Well hop in he'll take us to the Gove sector."

They get in the car and are driven to the government sector. They get out of the car and Hawk leads the way to the meeting, they arrive at the meeting room with them waiting for them with the main council man greeting them.

"Dr. Hawk it's nice to see you, Mr. Clarke… I guess I should start by apologizing for all you suffered on Titan and the months that followed."

"Yeah right can we spare one another the pleasantries and get this over with, because if this is all you have to say I'd like to get back home to my pregnant fiancée?"

"Okay look you have every right to be upset at us everything we did violated every right you have as a citizen most of it was illegal but the results that came out of all the tests and experiments done on you and the other patients couldn't be ignored."

"Isaac they're right I mean half of all the advanced technologies and weapons we have today were from what they learned of the marker through you."

"Yeah sure I think its safe say that you didn't question the ethics of it all?"

"On the contrary we did we knew how unethical it all was but like I said the benefits were too valuable to pass up."

"That doesn't make it right!" [Slams his fist on the table]

The council man stood silent then spoke.

"You're right it didn't there's nothing we can do to give back what we took form you."

"I thought so, anything else you want to discuss?"

"Yes when you were searching for your missing friend you discovered a massive unitology affiliated facility."

"That's right they were running research to improve and create new necromorphs we encountered a few highly advanced breeds of Necros that are more dangerous then what the troops are fighting out there, there were a few slasher variants that appeared to have tactical training and able to wield weapons, plasma rifles and such."

"Wait training?"

"Correct."

"Sir we have gotten reports from all over the galaxy that the necromorphs have shown many signs of increasing intelligence." [Said the council woman next to him]

"Yes this very alarming, based on data from the Ishimura and Titan station incidents these necrormorphs are more advanced than ever they had little to no reasoning skills or intelligence at all and these necros today are showing that and they are getting smarter."

"Let me ask you something, would you happen to know why necromorph corpses are melting and disintegrating after death?"

"No in fact we asked the same thing to Hawk and her team and a few others so far there's explanation."

"Well there is a theory one of my protégés has about that."

"A theory?"

"Yes he believes that it's a form of self destruct mechanism, to conceal something inside the necromorphs themselves from us."

"Hmm interesting let's say that's the case does he have an idea what this self destruct system is hiding from us?"

"He thinks it might hiding what's making them so advanced."

"Mr. Clarke was there anything else about those Slashers that seemed different than any other one you've seen?"

"Yes they were wearing these suits almost like RIG suits military grade but they weren't meant for a human body there designs were made specifically for a necromorph's body."

"Yes we've heard talk of this but we didn't know for sure."

"What about this McConner character?"

"Okay word of warning this will sound crazy but this guy used to be Sovereign Colonies and if you haven't already read what happened on Tau Volantis he played a role in causing what happened there 200 years ago."

"What do you mean I don't think we understand?"

"This man one of the cult leaders is very old biologically he was there in that era a long time ago and yet we saw there."

"Could this be the work of the markers?"

"Yes somehow the markers were keeping him alive but the price of that was not friendly to his appearance, he didn't even look completely human his kin was very pale almost like it was dead white, red eyes he looked like a ghoul."

A guard walks in the meeting room and whispers to the head council man.

"I'm afraid we'll have to continue this another time, a few things have demanded our attention that we must see to, thank you for the information and for taking the time to meet with us despite..."

"Save it okay stop trying to make nice we all may be in the same boat now with this war but… the wounds are still fresh and it'll be a while before they start to meld."

"We understand Mr. Clarke."

Isaac looks at him with slight anger then leaves with Hawk. While back to the car they are met by one of Hawks friends.

"Ah Madison."

"Ashatear I'm glad you're alive!" [Both hug]

"Isaac this is (Col.) colonel Ashatear Hyperion he's with EarthGov's Spec-ops Unit."

"Nice to meet you Isaac Hawk here has told me a lot about you." [With an Australian]

"Likewise." [Shakes his hand]

"How do you each other?"

"Ashatear and I worked together for a time decades back when he was an ASIS agent."

"ASIS?"

"Australian Secret Intelligence Agency." [They startwalking]

"He's also head of Spartan unit."

"Spartan unit as in the EarthGov black op."

"The one and only we've been much busier than ever since this war started, we've been deployed all over the galaxy behind enemy lines keeping tabs on them, sounds like you had quite the fight on that dessert world."

"You guys were there let my guess… Hawk?"

"We were the ones dispatched to retrieve the missing half of the USM Midnight; while a few of my men took the ship back the rest of us shadowed you as a favor."

"What have you guys found from the missing half?"

"Nothing yet a team is going to conduct a full examination of the ship's half, do you still have the data pads you found?"

"Yes Fable is working on the other its shot but the memory chip was still intact."

"I still can't believe that they knew everything and I thought I had highest level of access but they the council kept a lot from me."

"Not much anyone can do about now."

"True well I have to get back to work see you both later the car will take you back to your quarters."

"See ya."

Isaac and Ashatear walk together back to the car.

"So you're former intelligence?"

"Yes joined the military when I came of age after a few years I was asked to join ASIS, became one of their top agents ran over hundreds of missions during a few wars I've been through a lot and seen a lot shit to sum it up."

"Hey dad!"

A man runs towards them.

"Oh fuck."

"Friend of your?"

"Worse my son."

"Uh-ho, bad blood with your kid?"

"Let's just say by default he's a real asshole just be ready."

"What do you want?" [Angered]

He looks to Isaac and back at his father.

"Who's the ratbag?"

"Oi… watch ya mouth and show some respect, will ya!" [Slaps the back of his head]

"It's alright I've been slurred in all sorts of ways."

"I can see why."

"You are just asking me to kick your arse again."

"I'm just as good of a fighter as you old man."

"Is that right how come I always hurl your arse half way across the room and call me an old man one more time and I will shove my size eleven boot up your arse you get me?" [Grabs him by his collar]

"Yes sir I get you… " [Walks away]

"Now what do you need?"

"Your brother needs to see you his… you what is acting up again."

"Shit I forgot alright I'll come by, anything else?"

"No sir." [Walks away]

"Old man." [Whispers]

Hearing him Ashatear draws his knife and throws it at his son and misses his head by half a foot from and embeds into the metal wall. He looks back at his father then grabs the knife out of the wall and throws it back with Ashtear catching it by the blade.

"Ya know dad your eyes site is getting shittier by the day no wonder your aim sucks balls." [Flashes the middle finger at him then walks away]

"Yeah whatever, go fuck that whore you have that brothel!"

"I think I'll do that haven't had a chance to bury the bishop this week!" [As he laughs and walks away]

"What an ass."

"That's some relationship you have there, what's his name?"

"Ashtear."

"Same name as you?"

"Our names are similar but different his is spelled A-s-h-t-e-a-r mines A-s-h-a-t-e-a-r for short most people call me Asha and him Ash so they could tell us apart."

"What about your brother?"

"Grayson."

"Three star General Grayson Hyperion?"

"That's right."

"What does he think about Ashtear?"

"Yeah well my son has always been like that rebellious, wild, and a trouble maker god when he was young, forget it you have any idea times I or his mother had to meet with the principal of his school whenever he got into a fist fight not to mention he got expelled from thirteen schools so he's as much as ass to him as he's to me?"

"How is it he's allowed to stay in the military with the way he is I mean he's defiantly the type that pisses people off."

"I keep him in line, whether he likes it or not I'm his superior officer so he has no choice but to do as I say but half of how he is… it's probably my fault his mother died during the Titan Station incident and he blames me for it so he's… he's just angry."

They get inside the car.

"His mother and I were having some problems when he was growing up, we fought a lot and it wasn't easy on him."

"If you don't mind me asking hold did your wife die?"

Ashatear was silent for a moment then answered.

"Director Tiedemann ordered the evacuation of the station after the last of the men made it back to government sector my wife was helping some stragglers to get across the last operating tram line, when the last patrols reported back he wanted to severe the station in half something about the other half of it being "dead weight" I told him to give my wife's tram more time that they were only a few meters from us but he said he couldn't allow it because necromorphs where using the crossover tubes to get to the sector I was in charge of the majority of the security there so I was able to overrule him only temporality but he had already gained control over the solar beam and he'd already started cutting the connecting tramlines, thankfully her tram made it to the hub and we got that last people off but when the second line was cut the whole station began to rock and the tram car broke loose and she got trapped inside I yelled and yelled for Tiedemann to stop but he used the "her sacrifice will save the people" talk on me, I was going to use an airlock to go out and try to get her but my men stopped me, told me it was suicide then she contacted me on my RIG and said it was okay that she got hurt earlier and she was already dying from her injuries I begged her not to go through with it but, she was always a spirited girl, she told me she loved me and Ashtear then she closed the link and beam finally cut he last one and the lines and tubes exploded along with her car I banged on the window yelling and crying."

"God I'm sorry."

"The bastard had the nerve afterwards to say he was sorry for her death but it was either her or the people on the station, "kill one save a million" right?"

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I can guarantee to you that bastard died a bad death."

"Oh, how'd you kill?"

"Well he attacked me first he shot a javelin into my shoulder, then my hand but I turned the tables on him and shot one in his throat."

"Ah fucking nice."

"Then I shot another one and decapitated him."

"Damn I wish I was there to see that."

"It felt good after the heartache he caused me he deserved it."

"Damn straight he did."

The car arrives at Isaac's complex.

"Well I'll see you later Clarke I gotta see to a few things."

"Just Isaac thanks."

"Alright goodnight."

"Night."

He closes the door and the car drives away, Isaac enters his apartment finding Ellie asleep on the couch, he quietly takes off his boots and kisses her on her cheek. She slightly shifts her body then Isaac pull a blanket over her then sits on the other couch and falls asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Next morning Isaac and Ellie meet Hawk in the mess halls they sit together as they eat breakfast, shortly after Ashatear joins them.

"Morning." [As he sets his tray down]

"Morning." [They all greet back]

"Hey nice ink." [Noticing his tattoos]

"Oh thanks, did most of them myself."

"You a tattoo artist?"

"My kid and I ran a tattoo parlor in our leisure time off duty back home in Brisbane, knowing the Earth is gone it too along with everything else."

"Sorry."

"Nah it's alright."

"You tattoos are beautiful." [Complimented Ellie]

"Thank you." [Rubs his head as he yawns]

"Ah excuse me little tired."

"You look like hell, long night?"

"Ah you can say that… the fucking council."

"Oh I know what you mean."

"As if they weren't a pain in the ass already I mean they were barely doing anything during Danik's crusade and believe me I pushed for real action but they decided to in a nutshell let the shit storm blow over on its own because of that a lot of soldiers died."

"Huh the way I heard it was that the military elements were whipped out by the unitologist."

"Well the truth was that all assets were recalled back to EarthGov HQ on Earth in preparation of something and the "something" is what's happening now, the council told me when the unitologist attacks started that those attacks were just the beginning of what was coming."

"That's why they denied all of your action requests?"

"Yep, I remember the first waves of necromorphs that landed on Earth when the moons arrived; it was fucking pandemonium it was just like Titan only much worse people everywhere panicking."

He picks a few chunks of scrambled egg with his fork into his mouth.

"I along with my squad was on the west coast in Los Angeles fighting shits loads of necros."

"What about Ashtear?"

"He was at um… Toronto Canada fighting a front there."

"Did ya tell em that time in Manhattan you got your arse eaten?"

Ashtear sits next to his father.

"No I didn't."

"What happened?" [Asked Ellie]

"Nothing."

"What my dad means we got ambushed by a Kraken and in one lash it swallowed him up whole and we and my squad were in the fight for our lives the damn thing followed us to Liberty Island were finally killed when our gunship boys knocked over Lady Liberty and crushed the bastard but it revived and that's when the best part happened… go on tell em."

"Alright damn you, it was about to atomize his squad with its beam attack but I detonated my grenades and blew the bastard in half and I fell on the ground covered with guts and slime." [They all laugh]

"You guys knocked over the Statue of Liberty… really?" [Said Ellie]

"Hey it would have been destroyed along with the Earth anyway plus our weapons didn't have much effect after we did a number on it on the way there its hide became hard as rock the more we hurt it, hey dad did you tell that doctor about what you saw inside that thing?"

"Saw what?" [Hawk inquired]

"Nothing it was nothing I was most likely imagining it being inside it made me a little nauseous."

"Come on tell em old man."

"Your fucking getting on my nerves ya little shit… alright when that thing ate me and I got into its stomach I saw what looked like cybernetics, its whole insides looked like the circuit-like patterns on those cyber prosthetics it was glowing everywhere."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure what I saw but that's what I looked like."

"Oh my god."

"Hawk what do you mean?" [Asked Isaac]

"Remember in the meeting I spoke about a theory one of my assistants had?"

"Why the necromorphs are disintegrating after death nowadays?"

"Yes now that I think of it the reason why they do it to hide what's making them so advanced, cybernetics and possibly nanotech."

"That must be how the unitologist are aiding them they were conducting research on that planet improving necros genetically and somewhere else they must be enhancing them via cybernetics."

[Stated Isaac]

"That temple can't be the only facility they had they must a lot more to be able to craft vast numbers of necros with these enhancements which also begs the question where are they getting all this technology from, we have this tech but not much of it and we never used it for military applications though it was thought of more than once?"

She was silent then she rises from her seat.

"I have to go I need to investigate this further talk to a few people see you later Isaac, Ellie."

"Yeah I gotta go too hey Isaac uh come the military sector when you get a chance our quarters is located there I'll make sure you have the necessary access, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Alright I'll meet you."

"See ya."

"Later Rat…" [His father interrupts him]

"Shut the fuck up."

"What?"

"If you call him that one more time and I'll cut off your tongue."

"Oh my knees are shaking." [Sarcastically]

"You always did have a big mouth."

"Well you know one of my biggest pet peeves, people with bigger mouths then mine."

He and his son leave, Ellie looks at Isaac in confusion of the two.

"Them… it's complicated."

"I see he was charming in a bad way."

"Just don't take the wrong way if he insults you it's kinda his nature."

"I can only imagine how interesting he was growing up his father looks and sounds like he's ready to kill him."

"He threw a knife at him missed him by a foot but yeah I guess he is."

"My god, on the other hand his father is really civil I like him."

"Same here, Hawk told me you had to go to the hospital yesterday you okay?"

"Yes I'm starting to feel it morning sickness and I'm getting chubby."

"Ah."

"I heard what happened it's horrible, Parker he was very strong willed if he's able to break the marker's control on him momentarily."

"Yes he was he fought so hard to stop himself from killing me, he."

"I try not to think about what happens to the mind of a person when they become a walking mutated corpse."

"I'd imagine they're the same person they use to be and they're trapped inside being forced to watch what their body does to other people when you think about it, it's kinda the perfect hell torment."

"I suppose it is."

"I'm gonna talk to Ashatear and see what's going on you gonna be okay?"

"Yes I gonna spend some time with Lexine and Gabe."

"Okay tell Lex I said hi."

"I will." [Both kiss]

Isaac visits the military sector's residential complex and meets Ashtear.

"Hey ratbag."

"I was wondering if you can point me in the right direction."

"Maybe."

"Look as much I would like to play your little pissing game your father and I have some business together."

"Wow old man got some balls."

"Yeah well I earned them and not form being an asshole."

"Good enough our place is just right there, last door."

"Thanks."

"Whatever."

Before he can ring the door's bell Ashatear opens the door greeting Isaac.

"Ah Isaac glad you came."

"Hey nice place."

"Thanks it's not much but it works all that matters sorry about the mess I haven't had a chance to clean up with all the missions we've been on."

"I understand my old place on Earth wasn't the tidiest either being away off world a lot."

"Just make yourself at home I just need to finish this report and we'll talk."

"Take you time."

Isaac looks around seeing photos of Ashatear in his ASIS days and one with him, his deceased wife, and his son when he was much younger.

"Is this your wife?"

"Yes."

"She's beautiful."

"Yes she was her name was Amanda she was the most amazing woman I ever laid my eyes on to think I met her during my days working for the Australian government."

[Runs his hand through his short dark blonde hair]

"Oh, like during one of your field mission?"

"Yes I was incognito gathering intel on a terrorist cell and she was doing odd jobs for us and she was paired with me and spending a lot of time together well it went on from there and eventually became something great next we knew a few weeks in we were dating then shortly after getting creative in bed if you know what I mean."

Isaac picks up a magazine seeing Ashtear in one of its pages.

"Huh "Australia's Top 10 Sexiest Men of 2509, Ashtear Hyperion voted number 3."

While reading the entry next to a photo of him shirtless showing off his tattooed muscular upper body.

"Oh that shit well the saying of keeping a reasonably low profile during off duty doesn't have much meaning to him."

"You don't say."

"Alright thanks for waiting listen uh I was speaking with the council last night and well they know how soar you still are about what they did to you for three years and they want to make it up to you by giving you and Dr. Hawk more support even though it doesn't absolve them of anything, basically having me and my unit as your personal task force for whenever you set out that's of course if you'll have us."

"Thank you very much It'll be nice to have some more help, with the converted marker signal getting closer to completion and the necros getting stronger we could use the help."

"The best part is the council still has my kid's half of Spartan Squad for whatever they need them for and you'll have me and my half at your disposal everyone's happy."

"Well I'm honored to have you and your men."

"I'm honored to serve you Isaac it's the least I can do for you and Hawk." [They shake hands]

"Well I gotta be getting back I'll let you know the next time we set out."

"Will do hey Isaac we have a personal chef he in the sector and he's making Fajitas tonight for the sector maybe your friends and Ellie want to join us."

"That'll be nice thanks haven't had Mexican in a while I'll see how Ellie feels about it."

"Alright see ya later then mate." [Isaac exits]


	17. Chapter 17

On his way back to the public sectors Isaac he meets Carver.

"Hey Isaac."

"Carver, who's your friend?"

"This is an old friend of mine that I haven't seen in years my old drill instructor General Grayson Hyperion."

"Ah your Ashatear's brother had a nice chat him." [Shakes hands]

"I take it you met that miserable excuse of a nephew of mine?"

"Yes I did he has quite the ego."

"Believe it or not he was worse growing up, fucking jackass."

"So I've seen you were Carver's drill instructor?"

"Yeah he's the reason why I joined up and he helped make me into the guy I am today."

"That's his pride talking, all I got paid to do was basically yell, and smash heads against walls and floors."

"Ha, you should have seen him when he got pissed." [Said Carver]

"I can imagine, you guys going this way?"

"To Hawk's yeah." [They start walking]

"Oh good we can walk to together, so how are you dealing with this war?"

"Doing what I can here, training cadets mostly."

Grayson stops for a moment clutching his stomach as if in pain, Isaac and Carver notice and become concerned.

"Hey, hey are you alright?"[Said Isaac]

"Ugh yeah I'm fine I just… I'm fine."

"Alright if you say so." [Said Carver]

The three enter the labs of the military sector. Grayson stops again this time in great pain, he falls to his knees grunting. Ashtear sees his uncle on floor and runs to his quarters for his father.

"Shit dad, dad!"

Grayson then vomits up blood.

"Jesus!" [Exclaimed Carver]

"Oh god we need some help here!" [Isaac yelled]

Ashtear and Ashatear come running.

"Shit not again." [Said Ashatear]

"I'll take him to our quarters." [Said Ashtear]

Ashtear wraps his uncle's arm over his neck and helps him back to his quarters.

"This is Colonel Hyperion I need a hazmat team at my location at once." [On his ear piece]

"Stay clear of the blood both of you."

"My god is he sick?" [Asked Isaac]

Ashatear looks at him silent then response.

"Yes, very." [As he walks away]

"Did you know?" [To Carver]

"Years ago he had cancer."

I'll catch up with you okay."

"Alright see ya." [Isaac leaves]

Carver walks back to the Hyperion quarters while hazmat team cleans up the small puddle of blood left on the floor.

"Hey how is he is okay?"

"He'll be fine, just keep the converse short will ya he needs to rest." [Said Ashtear]

Carver walks in finding Grayson lying on the couch.

"Hey Johnny boy."

"You know I hated being called that, how are you feeling?"

[He sits in a chair across form him]

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"What the hell happened I thought you cancer was..."

"So did I… [Sighs] remember that experimental cure that I volunteered to try out?"

"Yeah."

"Well they told me that there was a high risk that if the cure failed… it would make the cancer a lot stronger and more aggressive and that's exactly what happened, radiation and chemo because of it have no effect at all now."

Grayson reaches into a silver case on the table marked with a biohazard sign and pulls out a syringe and injects himself with violet fluid into his neck.

"The leukemia before was advanced and aggressive enough on its own every day I use to wake up and go about the day vomiting blood sometimes so much I had to be hospitalized, the only thing that seems to suppress the cancer are these injections."

"Another experimental serum?"

"Yes only this one most of the time works, it lessens the times that it acts up I went from puking up blood every few hours a day to only once a day, but it doesn't suppress the cancer itself."

"Why did the military still allowed you to serve?"

"Johnny I been fighting cancer for 36 years since I was diagnosed when I was 7 the doctors told me I had 4-5 years to live tops but here I am still alive at the age of 43, I wasn't going to let the my affliction stop me from perusing my military career I proved to them that I could handle military life that I could fight and I did, I didn't make it to the rank of three star general because my cancer I made it because of hard work."

"I know you were one hell of a drill instructor the best I could have wished for."

"Thanks, but as I got older the cancer got even stronger and I admitted it to the council that I was no longer fit for the battle field but I wasn't going to let them make me leave, they wanted to honorable discharge me said that I did more than enough to serve my country and my planet and showing an extraordinary will to serve even while strongly afflicted."

"Sounds like you."

"I told them that wasn't going to leave if I had to resort to just being a drill instructor for the remainder of my career I'll do just that, they tried getting rid of me before but I didn't let them do it."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"You bet your ass I didn't, you know if remember you were quite the character yourself you pissed people off."

"Yeah I remember the time you smashed my head against wall."

"Ah yeah well you deserved that you were an asshole in your younger years."

"Yes I was."

"But you turned out alright."

"How are you feeling?" [Ashatear as he walks in]

"I'm fine brother it calmed down and I took the injection."

"I still want to take you to the hospital…"

"I said I'm okay."

"Fine let me or Ashtear know if something happens."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I wish I can stay and talk more but I should go."

"It's alright maybe we can talk more later."

"Sure thing."

Carver leaves and meets up with Isaac in Hawk's lab.

"Hey is he okay, Grayson?"

"Yes had chat with him he'll be fine."

"His cancer doesn't ever give him a break I feel so bad when it acts up because almost nothing can be done to help him save those injections."

"Poor guys in pain I've known him for a long time and I never saw him like that, I knew he was fighting cancer but to my knowledge it was never that bad."

"It was that damn prototype cure he used I told him not to do it that was too many risks especially if it could make his cancer worse but I didn't do anything."

"Hey don't blame yourself Madison."

"I know but… Grayson was like a father to me after my father died and he's practically the oldest family I got."

"Hey so am I?"

"Thank you Isaac I swear you remind me of your father every day that time you fell asleep on that couch over there, he'd do the same thing after staying up late here and I'd bring coffee to him when woke up the next morning."

"You miss him."

"Yes I do… very much."

"What about you Ashatear?"

"Oh he's family too I met him years before I met your father he wasn't even ASIS yet he was still plain military."

"What do you think personally about Ashtear other than the well-known fact he can be an asshole?"

"Ha, he's quite unique as much as he can drive people crazy he can be okay did Asha tell you about his mother?"

"Yell he seems to blame his dad for her death."

"Figures he never really told him how she died only that she didn't make it… he wasn't the same after that sure he was still his default self but he became more severe."

"Wait he never told him, did he ask how she died?"

"He asked him but he wouldn't bulge on the subject that only made him more angry, it hit him hard when he saw her die and it pains him very much to think and relive that moment he does it sometimes when he uses that Mnemonic Rift."

"What that." [Asked Carver]

"Oh it's an invention my protégé made two years ago, I don't know much about only that it allows you to see your memories but he can tell more about it." [Hands Isaac black visor eye piece]

"Memories huh that neat." [As Isaac examines the device]

"Yes you wear it like sunglasses and it scans you mind and orders all of your memories into files that you can play like a movie you see them from that point of view almost like your there."

"So like virtual environment."

"Yes try it it's pretty neat I'd lay down on the couch though to work it has to put you in a sleep like state then it's pretty straight forward from there, oh be careful it can be easy to slip into bad memories too I know it happened to me when I used it first time."

"What was it if you don't mind me asking?"

"It was when I was told my father passed away and then it channeled into when I heard what happened to the USM Midnight when I thought about Poul."

Isaac lies down on the couch and put the device on his head and the visor lowers down on his eyes on their own. He falls into a light sleep as he opens his eye finding himself in a black void with the floor going as far as his eyes can see glowing with white hexagonal patterns; holographic interfaces appear in front of him with images he recognizes. One file interests him and he extends his hand and selects it and the environment becomes like the shopping district on Titan Station where he first meet Ellie.

As soon as the hexagonal patterns vanish he hears Ellie's voice shouting along with plasma cutter fire. He turns around seeing Ellie shooting necromorphs left and right, not far from the bridge near her he sees himself in the engineering suit he had at the time running towards her. He stops when a plasma bolt missed his head by half a foot.

"Whoa hey, hey!"

"You stay back, you wanna talk you talk from there."

[Isaac walks closer to see them both better]

"And don't say you're here to help the last person that said that tried to kill me."

"Hey, take it easy, I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Yeah you got that right try it and you're dead."

His past self walks cautiously to past Ellie with his hands visible to her. Isaac gets closer till he and his past self are at the grate shutter separating Isaac and Ellie.

"Look I think we got off on the wrong foot… I'm Isaac."

Ellie turns to him.

"Ellie… what do you want Isaac?"

"I'm trying to reach to the transport hub; I need to get to the Government Sector."

"What do you think we were trying to do?"

"Hey I can help you, besides we got a better chance sticking together don't you agree?"

"Not a chance Isaac… other people are just a liability, I'll release the door lock but after that you're on your own… and please don't follow me okay."

"Wait, wait." [As the gate opens and the elevator doors close]

The memory ends and the area becomes the same virtual area with his memories in front of him. Isaac exits out of the virtual reality and wakes; he takes the Mnemonic Rift off his head.

"Hey how was it?"

"This is amazing I'm impressed."

"What memory did relive?"

"The time where Ellie and I first of at during the outbreak on Titan."

"Oh how did that happen with you two?"

"Long story short she almost shot my head off and it went from."

"Mm yeah I remember Ellie told me about that hell of a way to meet."

"If I had to go through it again, I would because it was worth it."

"I hope so."

"Did Asha tell you about the gift the council gave us?"

"Yes he did, finally some help; I guess they're really starting to take the signal seriously."

"Well it did help repel the outbreak here on the station so… it works."

"It works but its not complete meaning it won't be able to affect the moons, sure it can affect markers converting them and destroying them but to destroy them it need 100% viability, but that's the worse part even if it's ever completed there no guarantee that it will kill the moon at least not all of them."

"What has Dayloos said about this?"

"He agrees something is missing in the signal but neither he nor I can determine what, we do know that we need more markers because each one is unique and has what we need to boost the signal's strength."

"Tomorrow we'll set out and see if we can find some more the L77 sector had quite a few markers growing on the planets there."

"Please be careful Isaac for Ellie and you children's sake there has been a lot of necro activity reported in that sector and there were reports of possible moon sightings there too."

"I will you can bet on it maybe we'll also find something along the way."

"Alright I see you around."

"Oh here your Rift."

"It's okay keep it."

"Are you sure."

"Yes it's a cool invention but… I have a lot of bad memories and this will only make them more unbearable please you'd be doing me a favor."

"Oaky thanks." [Isaac exits]


	18. Chapter 18

In a dark and cold region of space there lay large frozen asteroids stationary in orbit of a dead and shattered world, the same unitologist ship encountered by Isaac and his companions is docked with a temple made of turquoise glowing crystal on the largest of the asteroids, McConner along with a few of his followers sits kneeling to a tall and muscular humanoid alien clad in black reflective armor with glowing orange markings looking out through an archway at the abyssal void of deep space accompanied by guards armed with spears.

"What do you want I have little time to converse with you and I'm not some dog you can just summon whenever you please?"

The tall alien speaks in a deep and rough voice.

"Tread carefully human I distaste your foul tone if you have any percentage of brain in that skull of yours you'll in my domain show respect for a greater being."

"Apologies." [Irritated]

"As I recall your master appointed me as overseer of your side of the operations."

"Understood overseer now what have you summoned me here for?"

"Your master will be pleased to know that we may have found one of the two remaining markers that were lost."

"How?"

"It has been dormant for a long time but it for reasons unknown has awakened I sensed its power at the moment of its wake, I know that it's on a world long forgotten one that the Dailkuun once ruled when they're empire was strong and vast."

"There were many worlds they controlled a specific one would narrow it down?"

"The signal is weak its exact location is not clear but it's near where their world used to be it seems it did not go very far when he hurled it into space, hmm right where it can't be reached."

[As he opens his viridian serpentine eyes]

"Can't be reached, explain?"

"The Dailkuun homeworld may have been mostly destroyed but their planetary defenses were strong and to this day are still active, it's some sort of energy shielding prevents entry into their former territory any object attempting to enter or leave is obliterated, my people have tried to get around it but the Dailkuun were renowned for being the apex race not only biologically but also technologically the marker is somewhere in their galaxy."

He turns toward a floating bowl of liquid with amphibious creatures swimming inside, sticking his six fingered hand in he grabs one of the creatures out of the bowl. It squirms and squeals loudly trying to escape until he bites its head off, its body stops squirming.

"You'll have to find a way to defeat it if he wants the marker, though I'd like to see if he can do it himself seeing as he used to be of their race I'd imagine he knows how."

[Offers him the other half of the eaten amphibian]

McConner declines with a simple nod; he eats the rest of it and directs his attention back to the view of the archway.

"Thank you for this information he will be glad to hear this." [He and his followers rise]

"One thing before you leave… has he stated why he's hell bent on finding the markers, what is he after?"

"I cannot say for sure he speaks of immortality at times."

"Interesting... make sense I suppose the stories my father told me about him being a power hungry individual were more than true… father always said he's was the worst thing to happen to his people and now he goes about pretending to be a god how ridiculous."

"You dare slur our master you god to be, he will soon become a living god once he gets all the markers in his possession he'll become the god of all creation?!"

"Hold your tongue lesser!" [Grabs him by the neck]

"He's your master not mine the only master I have is myself no one commands me we may have a temporary partnership but that doesn't mean I submit to him." [Releases him]

"I don't like you humans, your lives are measured in decades more or less the lifespan of a fly you are creatures of hubris and desire thinking you can do whatever you please without consequence you all are beneath us, beneath me… that'll be all now get out and take your human stench with you off my rock."

"As you wish your lordship."

They exit the temple with high priestess Octavia Clarke waiting beside the boarding ramp.

"What did his lordship want?"

"Our master is one step closer to achieving his goal we have a location on one of the last two markers."

"Which one the white or the black?"

"Unknown but reaching it may prove difficult the creator race's home galaxy is well protected by their tech not even they the Kalzu cannot enter."

"It must be the white marker the black one landed on Earth."

"True but the black one, was exhumed from the Earth and was taken somewhere it was said that EarthGov placed it back in its resting place shortly after its discovery but it wasn't there and he is most upset about it."

"So they hid it again long ago in secret we'll find it."

"What of Isaac?"

"He won't be a problem the general of the Necro Knights will handle that matter, you just keep coordinating with the other facilities we need them to keep up production of god's armies."

"Forgive me your holiness if I do not have as much faith in him as you do but he's very unstable and they call me mad, his nature transcends the very definition for him to have this much power and authority I believe he's a liability to us and what if Isaac were to meet him… will he get distracted of our cause?"

She looks up the ramp at a cloaked and armored man with his arms crossed looking at them both.

"It won't matter even if Isaac catches onto who he is it may serve as an advantage he however won't be moved by sympathy just because they share a few things."

The ship departs the asteroid while the leader of the Kalzu watches the ship enter shockspace. One of his subordinates walks up to him and kneels in respect than addresses him.

"My lord?"

"Speak."

"I was contemplating can we trust this small alliance with these humans, they are a brute species as you said creatures driven by their own hubris and impulses, what worries me even more these beings the same ones that brought the Dailkuun to their demise they destroyed every and all forms of life in the beginning?"

"You doubt my judgment?"

"I do not doubt you my lord I doubt these humans we deal with the unitologist they work for the moons and they may eventually see us as their next victims, half of our people were killed in the great wars leading up to the birth of the moons and much more of us where lost when they converted all life in that universe today there is less than a few hundred million of us left we are endangered if they decide to turn on us with their combined might we may not be able to oppose them."

"You are not telling me anything I do not know nor have not already taken into account; I do not trust the humans or their self-proclaimed gods."

"Our people trust you we stand by whatever you decide I just hope it will not be our downfall."

"Few races in our people's long existence have had the courage to challenge us and all that did end up tasting the edge of our fury if either side of the humans or the moons dare try to destroy us we will make them work for their victory before we let them vanquish us from existence."

Aboard the ship Octavia speaks with the General of the Necro Kinghts.

"Your holiness Isaac is now is more than a problem he's already destroyed one of our facilities he must die."

"True but he may be of use to us, shadow him but do not engage him only if you must, can count that you won't be distracted by him."

"Why just because we share a few things with each other?"

"Precisely."

"We may be related but that doesn't mean I have a soft spot for him he's a heretic plain and simple like the rest of humanity he choose his path and I choose mine, if god demands his death than it will be done when he's done his purpose." [He exits]


	19. Chapter 19

Walking down the hall away from his master's chambers another Knight walks with him.

"News?"

"Our spies report that Isaac and his companions may be setting out soon, to one of the restricted sectors L77."

"Good we'll follow them there."

"General what about Spartan Squad, they have been assigned to work with him."

"What about them?"

"They are Spec-ops the best there are, they are under the command of both Major Ashtear and Colonel Ashatear Hyperion what I've heard those two are the best soldiers EarthGov has to offer."

"Spec-ops or not they are just men unlike us we are more than those flawed creatures we will kill them if need be the same goes for Isaac and his friends, we set out for L77 sector tonight EarthGov has set up an outpost there we'll attack them and lure Isaac to us."

"What will you do when he has come to us?"

"We'll introduce him to a new form of servant god has created he spoke with me personally and want's Isaac dealt with and he will give him god's regards."

He points to a dark figure standing in front of them with glowing red eyes.

"Yes sir I'll inform the Knights I trust her Holiness consents?"

"Of course she consents you moron I only answer to her."

"Yes sir." [As he walks away]

The general walks closer to the figure which in the shadows.

"When we arrive you will kill everyone at the base there, as for Isaac you will send him a message have some fun with him make sure you incite fear in him."

"As you wish."

The next day Isaac and Carver along with Spartan squad enter sector L77.

"Alright Isaac what are we looking for here more marker?" [Asked Ashatear]

"Yeah there's a planet that's rich with markers that are naturally growing there."

"Oh the same planet you found your AI friend?"

"Yes."

"Good there's a listening outpost that can help us that was just started here in the sector."

"Oh good."

"I take it that we're looking for specific markers?"

"Yes according to Hawk some markers have a unique signal pattern in them and we need to find as many of them with that pattern as possible."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Maybe not there a large number of necromorphs on this planet last time we were here its likely there still are."

"Ah that just means more fun."

"Alright guys hold on were entering the atmosphere." [Stated Hex]

They finish descending through the atmosphere and scan for a place to land, while scanning Hex intercepts a transmission coming from the outpost."

"Guys come up here please."

"What's up?" [Asked Isaac]

"I just caught a distress signal from the outpost no message just the signal, by the sudden burst of it there in trouble."

"The markers can wait we should help them it could be serious." [Said Isaac]

"Alright on rout the signal strength says its right over that mountain range."

As they get closer they see black smoke rising into the sky, the Patriarch makes it over the mountains and they see the outpost in flames. They land on the base's landing pad and search for survivors.

"My god what do you, the fucking marker heads?" [Asked Ashatear]

"Maybe, doesn't look like the necros did this."

"Alright a few of my men will go with you and Carver and a few with."

"I'll circle the outpost and see if I catch anything." [Said Hex]

"Right lets go."

They enter the facility finding only corpses of the outpost occupants.

"Has to be unitologist… if there were necromorphs they would have attacked us by now."

When Isaac's team reached the command center a large explosion causes the ceiling and floor to collapse under Isaac separating him from Carver and the team. He falls two floors from the command hub down into a junction hallway.

"AH shit Isaac you still alive!?"

"Yeah I'm fine damn that hurt."

"We'll find a way down to you."

"Alright I'll try to meet up with you."

"Carver what happened I lost Isaac's signal?"

"He's fine we got separated, did you find anyone?"

"No they're all dead no signs of necros these men were shot… plasma guns judging by their wounds."

Ashatear looks to the hallway on his right and armored troops run towards them shooting at them with plasma weapons.

"Shit, return fire!"

"Colonel what the hell is happening?!"

"We got company marker heads!"

"Shit, Isaac you read me?"

"Yeah I heard I think near a lift I'll meet up with guys soon."

"Be careful this is starting to smell like a trap."

"My thoughts as well."

Nearing the lift Isaac spots a few survivors before he can address them they are shot dead, Isaac hid behind a beam plasma cutter at the ready. He walks cautiously to the dead bodies the lights begin to flicker and dim obscuring his vision. Unknowing to him a figure silently jumps down from the ceiling behind him; Isaac turns around sensing the presence aiming his plasma cutter at nothing he turns again and is stunned and shocked seeing himself standing in front of him. A devilish and gloomy imitation of him with pale skin and dark circles surrounding red eyes dressed in a black leather battle outfit armed with duel plasma guns, on his arms bare red glowing marker symbols. Isaac tries to shoot the imitation but misses when it knocks his cutter out of his hands and grabs him by the neck then throws him to the floor, he tries to reach for his cutter but it stomps on his hand and kicks it away.

"What the fuck are you?"

"I'm you minus your weaknesses." [Kicks him in his gut]

It speaks to him in his own voice.

"Without your flaws they call me the Doppelgänger." [Kick Isaac again]

"You're a necromorph."

"And you and humanity are nothing but animals, animals waiting to be slaughtered chopped up into meat, meat to be eaten." [As he smiles malevolently showing his sharp teeth]

"I'm going to kill you Isaac, going take over your life, take everything from you your friends and your love Ellie… oh do I have an agenda for her."

"Fuck you bastard if you ever try to get Ellie I will kill you." [Angered]

"When I get to her she'll think I'm you, I will fuck her, harder then you ever could I will hurt her I will warp her to the threshold where ecstasy and agony become one, I will make her scream as I rip her open and devour the underdeveloped fetuses of your children right out of her womb it will be a delicious meal and all the blood will make a fine wine."

"Shut up, shut up!"

[The evil imitation laughs maniacally]

"What makes you think she or anyone won't notice the difference?"

"After I kill you I'll absorb your memories your mind will become mine we'll become one, everything you know I will know."

Suddenly Carver runs out from behind ruble shooting at the evil clone, it dodges all of his shoots as summersaults away from them then jumps to the top levels escaping.

"Isaac you alright?"

"Ye… yeah I'm fine."

"Are you sure what hell was that thing no human can do that?"

"Trouble a new form of necro."

"We need to get out of here this place is lost and it's coming down Ashatear is on rout back to the ship."

"Yeah let's… let's go."

They meet back at the Patriarch and quickly leave the planet leaving the outpost behind which shortly after explodes; Isaac sits next to Hex in the cockpit.

"Isaac, are you okay?"

"No not really."

"I heard you had freak show back there."

"Yes more than that it was a new form of necro one that can the form of anyone it sees, it called itself the Doppelgänger."

"So it looked like you?"

"Yeah but more like a tainted and evil version of me it was unnerving."

"Well there's a saying that man's worst enemy is often himself."

"That doesn't make me feel better Hex."

"Sorry but I feel you that had to be the creepiest thing yet."

"Fucked up but that was beyond it, how much more sinister can these things get."

"Isaac, tell me what happened down there you seem cold like you were scared to the core?"

"Nothing it just got to me it happens."

"Could it talk?"

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

Isaac lets out a sigh as he remembers the horrific intents of the Doppelgänger to Ellie and answers falsely.

"Nothing just the usual villain trash talk."

"If you say so you know you're not fooling me but I can see this really vexes you so if you have to talk about it I'll listen."

"Thanks Hex if do I'll find you."

"Okay."


	20. Chapter 20

"Isaac we need to report this to EarthGove command if that thing was a new form of necromorph then this war is getting increasingly grim." [Said Asha]

"Yeah I agree this thing it can take human form and act convincingly as human imagine if there are more of them and the infiltrate EarthGove's ranks or even the council and chiefs."

"Ah don't get me started they could already be in our ranks and we don't even know it, I'll report this to Hawk."

"We still need to get a few markers at least two or three."

"Well we're in luck because the planet's moon seems to have a few markers growing there."

"Good we'll grab a few and report back to Sanctuary."

Ashatear then groans in pain holding his right outer thigh as blood seeps through his fingers.

"Jesus, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah I took a hit I'm fine it's just a flesh wound I've had tougher wounds than this before."

"Really like what?"

"I took four in the chest one time."

"You got shot in the chest four times and you're still alive that's impressive."

"So I've been told I've survived a lot of crap that should have killed me."

"Like being swallowed up by a Kraken?" [Laughs]

"Yeah among other things."

"How did it feel being inside that thing must have been nasty?"

"What do you mean how did it feel I was in a stomach full of acid which was trying to digest me thank god my suit held out until I found my grenades and blew the fucker open it didn't feel like a hot girl blowing me off if that's what you meant?"

"Ha okay I get it."

"Okay where at the moon be careful when you guys go out the gravity is very light." [Said Hex]

"Roger that."

"There are two markers a few meters from us and there's one further off, half a mile give or take."

"These markers are likely stuck in the ground my ship is equipped with gravity tethers I can rip them out of the ground."

"Is there a place we can put them."

"Yeah under your feet the cargo hold, Hawk gave those cages to contain them so we won't have to worry about them acting up."

"Good you just need us to secure the area?" [Asked Asha]

"Yeah those guys might still be around might be another trap."

They secure and patrol around the markers keeping an eye out for more surprises while hex extracts the markers. Minutes later Hex intercepts a transmission on his RIG, a distress call from a station near their location.

"Guys I just got transmission, it looks like there's a station near us about two light-years away they're under attack, it sounded like your kid Ashtear is there."

"Shit if they sent out a distress call then its big they really need help."

"Okay I got the last one on board we can go help."

They leave the moon and high tailing it to the station.

"What is this station all the way out here?"

"It's one of the other Sanctuary stations."

"There's more than one?"

"Yeah there are four we live one Sanctuary station one the one were going to according to the distress call is number two." [Pulls up hologram of the station]

"It looks like it's still under construction it's incomplete in a lot of places."

"Yeah resources were in a cluster fuck during and after the resource wars which greatly hindered the stations construction until recently before this war started the Sanctuary stations were classified at the highest levels of EarthGove we had to manage with what we could get without drawing any attention to the projects."

On the second station Ashtear and his squad along with the EarthGove forces fight an invasion force of unitologist and necromorphs.

"Sir these fuckers are everywhere!" [Yelled on of his soldiers]

"Less talking more shooting soldier!"

"Yes sir!"

The Patriarch arrives at the station meeting a small fleet of ships in battle with numerous Krakens shooting at each other with the EarthGove fleet sustaining heavy losses.

"Jesus the fleet is being decimated I'm activating the ghost drive we can slip by them without them knowing we're here."

The ship is enveloped in a field that renders it visible.

"Ghost drive very nice the fuckers won't see us coming."

"We'll see the tech is still experimental it may cloak us visually but sensors can still pick up thermal emissions from the thrusters."

Their ship flies though the space battle carefully evading fire from both sides toward the station. They make it to a hanger were necros spot them as they come out of cloaking and begin shooting at them.

"You're gonna mess up my paint job assholes." [As he fires plasma missiles at them]

"Major there's a ship that just landed in hanger D-7 signature reads friendly."

"Try to raise them and will someone get me a damn link with anyone at Government Sector!"

"I'm trying sir there no response it possible the necros and marker heads got to them."

"Damn it."

After the Patriarch sets down in the hanger Ashatear tries to raise his son.

"This Colonel Ashatear Hyperion of Spartan Squad is there anyone listening on this frequency?"

Hearing his father's voice over his com he answers.

"Dad is that you!?"

"Ash, are you alright?"

"Of course I'm alright you wouldn't be hoping this would kill me would ya!?"

"Alright smartass glad your fine and if I want to kill you I'd do something craftier then sending fucking necros and marker heads to do it."

"Glad to hear that get your asses here we're in the Gaia Square is right beyond ahead of the hangers."

"Alright we'll be there try not to do anything stupid."

"Yeah whatever." [Cuts off the link]

"I think I'm starting to like him." [Hex commented]

"I wouldn't you'll get tired of him quickly I know I'm his father let's move."

Ashtear and his squad wait for the crew of the Patriarch to catch up with them.

"Sir I made contact with Gove Sector the unitologist have reached the sector and are trying to break into the data cores vaults."

"The data cores what the fuck for?"

"Each of the four stations has data cores in those cores have vast intelligence in them if they access them they'll know everything about us census data the other station locations, bases and outposts a lot of things."

"Son of a bitch, dad you read me!?"

"I read you what's going on?"

"Meet us at the Data cores in Gove sector we need to stop the marker heads from accessing it."

"Shit that's why there here alright we'll meet you there, send us the waypoint."

"Sent now hurry up."

They race to the Government sector running into resistance along the way, Ashtear and his team make it to the sector encountering heavy forces in their path to the data cores.

"Ash, how far are you guys off?"

"We're inside the complex but the fuckers were waiting for us they must be inside already!"

"Can you try to break through?"

"What the hell do you think we're trying to do old man?!"

"Well fucking try harder if they get that data then everything in EarthGove can be jeopardized the last of the human race might as well be dead if they knew everything about us!"

"Alright damn you I get it… come on push forward give them fucking hell!"

"Don't get cocky we'll be there soon!"

"Hurry the fuck up, will ya!"

"I downloaded the layout of the place we're half way there." [Said Hex]

"Okay."

Ashtear's team managed to break through the unitologist entrenched in the main entrance to the data core levels inside they see the vault doors have been blasted open.

"Shit they broke through the vault they're inside we'll try to clear them out before they download anything."

"That'll give us time to stop them they need to hack through the shit loads of encryption in every file before they can steal them."

"That's a plus…"

Suddenly six of his men fall to the floor dead with bullet holes in the heads.

"Son of a…" [Readies his gun]

He looks up in the rafters at the shooter Isaac's doppelganger, unknowing to Ashtear of its true nature and mistaking it for Isaac he assumes he has betrayed them.

"You… your fucking dead Clarke you hear me!"

He fires at the evil twin missing him as he hides behind a beam.

"You know for EarthGove's most elite you guys fall like flies."

"Fuck you!"

He runs off deeper into the chambers with Ashtear and what's left of his team pursue him, jumping head from beam to beam then onto a platform.

"Let's make this more fun for both of us." [To himself]

"Team 3 progress report." [On his ear piece]

"We found the data we're looking for but they are heavily encrypted we can't take them until will creak their codes."

"Keep at it I'll deal with the riffraff and while you're at it increase the jamming output to 100% make sure no signal escapes their RIGs."

"Yes sir this level of jamming might interfere with our own as well."

"So be it."

Making it to the data core complex they lose their coms and waypoints.

"The hell?"

"What happened?"

"They must have a jammer I just lost the waypoints and all of our comms even our RIG signals."

"Okay we'll just have to play it safe, this place is fucking huge we should split up into small groups we'll cover ground." [Suggested Carver]

"Good idea."

They split up into three groups and advance into the vaults, Ashtear spots the polymorphic necro almost as if he purposely wants to be seen by his pursuer.

"I see you fucker!" [Shoots at him]

He dodges all of their shoots and sprints away laughing.

"Come back so I can pump you full of plasma!"

"Awe is the colonel's little soldier boy gonna kill me tell me how does one kill something that's already dead?" [He taunts]

"Clarke!"

"Clarke, Clarke, Clarke so sound like a broken record you know that enough talk show me what you can do?" [Shows himself]

Soon after both are in a fierce firefight, the polymorph kills Ashtear's remaining soldiers leaving only him and his quarry. Ashtear discards his gun and draws both of his knives standing in a defensive stance.

"Come and get it mother fucker I knew you were trouble form the moment I met you."

"Now this is more like it I prefer to gut my prey before I eat them, though I usually do it with my bare hands." [Holsters his guns and draws a knife]

Both slash each other furiously; the polymorph laughs as he cuts Ashtear spraying strikes of blood with each slash. Isaac and Hex find the unitologist trying to hack the mainframes, both shoot and kill them on sight stopping them from getting the critical information they crave.

"Okay we stopped them, it looks mostly intact but they were very close to creaking it." [Said Hex]

"Good and we have comms back." [He shoots the jammer destroying it]

"That did it RIG signals, comms."

"Isaac, Hex I take it you guys found the jammer?"

"Yeah and we stopped the hackers how's it on your end?"

"These bastards are relentless we cleared the rest of the place, have you heard from Ashtear?"

"No his RIG signs indicate he's in confrontation I have the waypoint."

"Alright we'll meet you." [Said Carver]

The evil twin tires out Ash due to the blood he's lost from his knife wounds, falling on his knees drenched in his own blood. He looks up at the necro's wounds he inflicted on his body seeing them heal within seconds; Ashtear starts to think the thing he's been fighting isn't Isaac.

"You… you're not Isaac aren't you your something else."

The necro then morphs his appearance now mimicking his father's form, Ash gasps in awe.

"Bingo." [In his father's voice]

He morphs again taking Ash's form.

"Did you really think Isaac or anyone could move like this, you humans are so gullible?"

With speed great enough to leave after images of him kicks Ash in his chest sending him flying; he walks to Ash spinning his knife in his palm.

"You disappoint me and I thought you'd put up a hardier fight then this, oh well time to die."

He jumps onto him trying to thrust his blade into his throat, Ash struggles to keep it at bay holding his arms up. His grip fails and the blade comes down, before it can cut into his neck a bolt of plasma from his father's gun shoots the blade out of the necro's hands. Saved he kicks him off, he runs away for the sector's hangers with Ashtear running after him.

"Ash, wait!" [Yelled his father]

"He's like a dog to a cat!" [Said Hex]

"Come on!" [Yelled Isaac]

The necro reaches the hanger and boards a gunship, Ashtear catches up to him but his trapped when the gunship fires at the hanger door's controls activating its containment fields blocking the ways. The gunship fires on him, he runs to a turret and uses it to fight him, as he fights the gunship Ashatear and the rest of the team catch up.

"Ashtear!"

"Hold on I can bypass the field!" [Said Hex]

Ashtear does a number on the gunship destroying its thrusters; it falls blazing in flames to the ground. The polymorph jumps out of the wreckage injured but quickly as before heals.

"Not bad… maybe I misjudged you but despite that all you've really done is piss me off."

A unitologist ship rises up in the hanger's archway; it fires on Ashtear before he can raise his gun to return fire. Plasma bolts rip through his body while Ashatear watches from behind the field raged and helpless he tries to run to his son.

"Ashatear, no the field you touch it it'll disintegrate you!" [Shouted Hex]

"Ash, open it hurry!"

"Hold on hold on… got it!" [As the field deactivates]

The ship ceases fire and descends low enough for the doppelganger to board; as it takes off Ashatear runs firing at it yelling loudly until his clip runs empty as it leaves the hanger then the station. He draws his attention to his son lying motionless on the floor near him, he runs to him desperate to know if he's alive. Upon reaching him he sees his son riddled with bullet holes and a blood puddle forms under him, he turns him over and holds him in his arms trying to wake him.

"Ash… Ashtear, wake up Ash wake up!" [Shakes him as tears form in his eyes]

Ashtear springs awake gasping for air and choking on his blood.

"Ash?!"

"D… dad."

"Hold still you're gonna be okay, look at me you'll be okay I promise."

Reinforcements finally arrive at the scene.

"I need a medic over here now!" [He shouts]

Medic teams take Ashtear away his father goes with them, Isaac receives a call Hawk.

"Isaac I've been trying to raise you, what is going on I heard there was an attack on one of the other stations?"

"There was unitologist the same ones we encountered on that barren world; they attacked the station trying to steal information in the data cores Ashtear got hurt bad, very bad."

"Oh god is he…?"

"No well he's alive barely Asha went with the medics likely won't know anything for a while."

"My god this doesn't make sense, what were they looking for in the data cores?"

"Beats me."

"Well maybe they were after…"

"After what?"

"I can't talk about it not on an unsecured channel if you get back here..."

"Okay we'll be back soon."


	21. Chapter 21

"You guys head back and give Hawk the markers, I'll stay here with Asha, if Ellie asks just tell her I'll be back soon." [Said Isaac]

"Okay, let us know if anything comes up." [Said Carver]

Hex and Carver go back to their Station while Isaac stays with Asha at the stations hospital; hours go by with Ashatear waking back and forth anxious to her if his son will pull through while Isaac sits near him. Finally after another hour passes by a doctor enters the room.

"How is he, will he make it?"

"He's very lucky to be alive, Colonel the amount of blood he lost he should be dead but he's very strong."

"Oh thank god." [To himself]

"The amount of shots he sustained it's a miracle none of his vital organs were hit except for one of his kidneys a single shot ripped a chunk of matter off of his right kidney but were able to repair the damage as with all the other wounds."

He walks closer to the Colonel placing his hand on his left shoulder.

"He'll make it sir."

"Thank you Doctor, what of his squad mates?"

"Many are dead shot in the head clean through the brain seven others were badly injured but they'll be up and running in a week or so… your son will not be seeing action for at least a month maybe longer he will require physical therapy during his recovery, the new medical treatments available today can repair almost any wound and injury but his body took a rough toll."

"Understood thanks again doctor."

"He's awake if you want to see him just keep it brief okay he has to rest."

Both Isaac and Asha enter Ash's room, hearing their footsteps Ash turns over slightly grunting in pain starring at his father.

"Come to gloat?"

"I'd gloat if it was me that kicked your arse."

"Fuck you."

"Charming as ever, glade to see you'll be alright."

"Yeah whatever… dad I'm sorry I was moron none that shit should have happened."

"There's nothing to be sorry about you didn't know and he likes to play hide and go fuck, he was messing with all of us."

"Still I let him get to me and you know me dad whenever I got into a fight I never backed down, I always stood and fought."

"I know I remember every time you got into or started a fight at school growing up, and I had to come and try to talk you principals out of suspending or expelling you."

"I was a trouble maker and finder."

"Yes you were you get some rest alright text me if anything."

"Fine, hay dad?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not good at hiding your feelings old man I'll admit neither am I but I know something is going on, I see it in your eyes… what happened."

Ashatear was silent reluctant to answer, he then has flash back of the chase in the station's data cores. After killing the last of the unitologist a knife is thrown at him missing him almost intentionally he hears a voice that sends chills up his spine nearly paralyzing him.

"Hello Asha."

He turns around seeing a man in the shadows who slowly comes out; upon realizing the identity of the man he's shocked to his core.

"C… Cole?"

"It's been a long time Asha what has it been 20, 25 years?"

"Cole you're alive… how, the base at Svalbard how?"

"You tell me you left me to die."

"That's not true if I knew you were alive I swear I would have looked for you, I would have spent day after day digging through the wreckage with my bare hands for you no matter what your fate had been."

"As much as I want to believe that it's too late Asha 25 years too late the Cole you knew has been dead for a long time

"Cole I don't know what came over me I was only thinking about the mission and the people that were going to die if I didn't leave you behind, it me more than being tortured."

He lashes at him with his blades while Asha dodges his slashes trying to get through to him with no success. Both of their blades collide with both struggling to break the blade lock, he breaks it knocking him back a few steps as violently cuts and beats up Ashatear in rage. Cole dazes him and holds his head up to his.

"You left me to die at Svalbard Asha, yes I loved you too you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with… you were everything to me… when you left me behind you cannot begin to imagine what level of despair befell me when you looked back at me then ran out of that god forsaken place, you killed me and I make you pay."

"Cole no, I loved you…" [Voice breaks]

"I loved you more than life itself I still do, I know what you felt when I left you in that place the despair, the betrayal all of it everything you thought of me I felt it when I chose the mission objective over you, when I chose millions of innocent people over you."

"Yes and I will make you feel it again a million times more."

Over his earpiece Cole hears the feedback from the destruction of the jammer.

"We'll have to continue this another time, see you around."

He pulls him closer.

"It was nice seeing you again even though I will end you soon… ah what the hell for old time's sake." [Kisses Ashatear]

He releases him then runs away while the rest of his team catch up to him and his flashback end.

"Dad?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"The same bullshit again just like when you told me the same about mum?"

"Ash stop."

"No you need to stop with the damn fucking lies, why can't you tell me what happened how she died… why!"

"Like I said before it's complicated, you won't understand."

"Fine, I've never understood anyway why should I start know just get the fuck out of my sight I don't want to speak to you for a while with the time I gonna need to recover we have a nice break from each other."

"Fine but don't take this out on me or anyone but yourself you're the one that was stupid and reckless and ended up getting your arse shot up."

He storms out of the room Isaac following him cautiously felling Ashatears anger.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah sorry you had to hear that."

"I hate to agree with him but he's right something happened during the chase you look almost the way I did when I met my evil twin, talk to me Ashatear."

"Okay…" [Sighs]

Both and Isaac Ashatear sit on a bench.

"You remember when I told you about my wife Amanda?"

"Yeah?"

"She wasn't my first love, years ago in the middle of my ASIS days I had a partner his name was Cole Lively… well he was more than just my friend he was my soulmate."

"Oh I didn't know I'm sorry."

"It's okay, while we're on the subject… you don't have problem with homosexuals do you?"

"No not at all."

"Good, well Cole and I ran over hundreds of missions together we were an unbeatable team."

"Sounds like you two were one of the elites."

"Yes we were, whenever they had a mission that was high risk and failure was not an option they came to us and a few others first, there was a terrorist group one of the worst seen in decades that was plotting to start a full scale war between countries whom hated each other very much since the dark ages."

"I think I heard of them they were called the Crimson Trident right?"

"Yeah they were known for many atrocities and using the worst types of biological warfare, chemical agents, viruses, gases etcetera etcetera even bio weapons."

"They must have had entities backing them to do that."

"They did a large number of people very shady people that were financing and supporting them, Cole and I were sent to Svalbard we got Intel that suggested that those islands in the Arctic Circle was one their bases, and we found more than we expected, it was the Crimson Trident's base of operations and deep under the ice were silos my outfit stopped them from launching missiles filled with a bio engineered disease that would have put Small Pox, Black Death and Ebola to shame, when we destroyed the facility we found information that gave us everything about the group every entity supporting them, base locations personnel files everything we could use to put a dent and end them permanently."

"Sounds like you guys did good work if that disease had gotten out was as lethal as they designed it to be millions would perished and that war they were trying instigate would have started right?"

"Yes but on our out the whole place was coming down some self-destruct mechanism, we both nearly made out but the roof of the hanger came down Cole got pinned and trapped under debris."

Ashatear heads his head as if in emotional pain and sorrow.

"I thought only about the data we found on the Crimson Tridents with it we could expose everyone helping them and they would have to pull their support to avoid the UN finding and bringing them to justice with all their assets abandoning they would eventually fall apart and surrender, but I hesitated because I was also thinking about Cole how could I not I loved him so I found myself having to choose, deliver the data so we can bring the Tridents down sacrificing the love of my life for the greater good or run back, try to help him and risk ourselves being destroyed along with the data."

"You choose the data over him."

"Yes I left Cole there to die, when I got to the ship and met up with my other team mates I uploaded the data to my superiors I thought I still had time before the base was completely destroyed but my team stopped me told me it was suicide and then the whole base blew up and sank into the ocean under the ice, we had to get out of there because the glacier and the islands were breaking up we'd be stranded out there and we might have died too if we didn't leave."

He stands and leans against the wall.

"After that I was a mess I had to go on administrative leave, I needed time to… to grieve in my state at the time I was in no condition to go on dangerous assignments after I was done shedding my tears for him I went to work and they offered me to go back in my outfit but I refused instead I did medium grade work for my government."

"Like being spy?"

"Yep and that's how I met Amanda I took that job because I still needed time to heal but she… she helped me heal, made me believe again that I could love once more, like I said before I came to loving her because of it I had my son Ash, losing Cole was bad enough when I lost Amanda it felt like everything that healed inside me just ripped open again If I had lost Ash earlier I couldn't bare it he's all I have left."

"No he's not you still have your brother and Madison, any friend of Hawk is friend of me you have a lot left Colonel."

"That nice of you thanks I suppose your right."

"When I realized that Nicole was dead all along my time on the Ishimura I felt the same way and then like you I met Ellie she did the same for me after I chased down and defeated my demons."

"Well we have that in common; I just remembered I gotta get back to our station."

"Yeah, as soon as Hex drop off the marker he'll come to give us a lift back."

"Good I'll meet you at the hanger."

"Okay."

Before Isaac walks away Ashtear calls him into his room."

"Hay Isaac I just wanted to apologize to you and I don't do so lightly so don't get used to it."

"Yeah your dad said you were never big on thank yous and sorrys."

"Again like I said don't get used to it, you and my dad saved my arse and I owe you one period oaky?"

"Alright are friendly more enough for you to stop calling me "ratbag"?"

"You'll have to save my arse more times before we can call each other friends alright and that won't happen anytime soon."

"Fair enough."

"Well if you don't mind I like to get some rest."

"Of course feel better."

"Yeah, yeah."

Isaac leaves and later meets Ashatear in the sector's hanger, shortly after the Hex arrives with the Patriarch and takes them both back to their station.


	22. Chapter 22

Returning from the other Sanctuary station both Asha and Isaac sit in the lounge, Hawk speaks with them over a holo link.

"I'm glad Ash will make it through I saw the med reports he was hit bad."

"Yeah he was but he's a tough kid always was."

"I think we all know where he inherited that from." [Said Hawk]

"Well I don't like to point to myself but yeah I guess he did inherit my survivability and resiliency."

"So Hawk what do you think about the markers we found anything useful?"

"Yes they were a good find, they contain more of the core signal designs which will help with the converted marker signal I still have doubts though what if it doesn't work on them I mean I know it is effective in killing lesser necromorphs but the moons are highly complex for all we know it may not be enough to kill them all."

"Even if it doesn't it still a win that it can kill every other necro almost instantly, you shouldn't worry about it now, not when it's getting closer to completion it may work it may not."

"I agree I always believed in trying Day is running some simulations for better uses with the signal and our weapons with some of those plans your father left here."

"Day?"

"Oh I mean Dayloos some of my staff here has come to calling him that for short it sort of just stuck."

"Nice how'd the council react to him?"

"They had a nice talk with him just proper introduction is all, I'll admit my scientific curiosity got me asking questions about his people's civilization aside from being responsible for creating the markers."

"I can imagine you two talking for hours." [Laughs]

"Yes same here."

"Hay why don't we go out for some drinks later maybe at Greed or Heresy."

"There other nightclubs on our station?

"Yes eight more in fact."

"I've only been to Limbo."

"That's the upper most part of the nightclub very mild compared to the rest of the nightclub, it all part of a huge thing running the width of the station it's called The Inferno and Limbo, Greed and all the others are part of it just like that movie Dante's Inferno, lowest part of the station just like the lower parts of hell."

"That's interesting."

"Yeah if you like it crazy then the lower parts of the club is the place to go; I have listing of the club levels, here."

Ashatear shows Isaac the listing, reading down the list showing the names of the levels.

Nightclub, the Inferno

Age verification required upon entry in accordance with the law standard age is 21 and over.

FAIR WARNINGS:

Liability waivers must be signed by all new comers before entering.

Identities will also be verified before entry, if identities are discovered falsified EarthGove Station Security will be notified and arrests will be made.

Any and all altercations both physical and verbal will be subdued by the club's bouncers; arrests may be made depending on the severity of the incident(s).

LEVELS OF THE INFERNO

Limbo- Drinks and dancing.

Lust- Adult entertainment and brothel, drinks and dancing.

Gluttony- All you can eat and drink yourself to death.

Greed- Drinks.

City of Dis- Dancing.

Heresy- Drinks, food and dancing.

Violence- Fight club and drinks.

Fraud- Dancing and drinks.

Lake Cocytus-VIP AREA pass or invite required- Drinks and dancing, food and adult entertainment.

"Wow you'll have to show some of them, I take it Ash visits Lust often?" [Sarcastically]

"I'd expect he would but no, he goes to another brothel elsewhere on the station."

"What about this VIP area?" [Asked Isaac]

"Ah Lake Cocytus that the most wild and energetic part of The Inferno, I've been there only once I don't know who decorated that place but they did an amazing job making look hellish and underworld –ish ."

"Isn't there a big statue of Lucifer in there somewhere?" [Asked Hawk]

"Yeah there is, that thing was fucking down right creepy where ever you went in that place it felt like his eyes were following and looking at your every move."

"Well he does own the club hence owning that part of the station so he can do with it as he pleases."

"Who?"

"A man name Ivan Ivonovich he's one of the last people in the galaxy you want to fuck with, he has a big history and file the size of two text books with EarthGove."

"Reports on say he's former Russian mafia boss, former agent for the black market, and even former EarthGove Special Forces."

"Sounds like a dangerous man."

"He is."

"So why he is there at one of EarthGove's most classified projects?" [Asked Isaac]

"Well after the Resource Wars supplies, everything humanity depended on to keep our lives going was scarce and it greatly hindered the construction of the Sanctuary Stations, Ivan's family being one of EarthGoves many former benefactors he owned a lot of mining companies and mineral and material works because this he owned a lot of resources that he kept from everyone else." [Said Hawk]

"EarthGove needed more resources to keep constructing the stations so Earthgove officials met with him and offered him whatever he desired in exchange for his help and access to his resources, he took the offer and they got what they need until planet cracking filled the vacuums and got us back on track."

"I'm guessing this club he owns on the station was part of it?"

"Yep he wanted to build a place for entertainment for the future inhabitants of the station and demanded exclusive rights and ownership of the club they gave it to him so he owns that part of Sanctuary station 1, if your there then you're in his domain you answer to him and his bouncers if you cause trouble in his club."

"It was a good deal both sides where happy."

"I have to get back to work but talk to you two later I'll meet you guys there."

"Aright we'll be there in hours 2 hours."

"Fly safely all of you." [The holo link turns off]


	23. Chapter 23

Aboard the candle lit ship the Doppelganger meets with the leader of the Necro Knights after returning from his mission.

"Report."

"The mission didn't go as planned we didn't get the data, however I was able to take Major Ashtear Hyperion out of the equation at least for a while."

"And Isaac?"

"He still lives they all presented a heftier fight then anticipated but you were correct I did make a stunning impression to Isaac he seemed very disturbed by me."

"Good maybe we should introduce him to another relative of his that he's unaware of."

"You mean that failed experiment, that thing should have been destroyed it's too dangerous it consumes everything in sight even our own men and servants."

"Should I remind you that "thing" was the first result from our attempts to create you hence without it you would never have come into being."

The Doppelganger stands aggravated at the mention of the creature he speaks of.

"Besides we tried and doing so proved very difficult, you owe your regenerative abilities to it the Gods themselves would be the only ones to kill it."

"What's our next move?"

"Nothing at the moment standby and wait for further orders I will summon you when we make a move, leave us."

"As you wish."

The Doppelganger leaves the chamber.

"Sir we found the boarders of the Dailkuun territory if Lord Vakma was correct one of the missing markers is somewhere near their homeworld, finding it may be a challenge as it was destroyed."

"Good I figured as much their world had close to forty-seven hundred moons it could be anywhere on those rocks but we'll find it."

"There's still a problem with getting into the territory we found the gateway but the defenses attack us whenever we get close we lost seven ships trying to get through."

"The gateway, also known as the Monolith and I think I know what we need to open it."

"Sir?"

"We'll let Isaac for the time being go about his course he'll eventually open the monolith for us and then we make our next move along the way we'll push them back in line should they deviate and when they do we'll take our new creation with us to meet him."

"Sir if I may inquire was this creature not the same one encountered by the false prophet Altman, I believe it was dubbed the Creeper?"

"Similar yes but mostly different it is roughly a cousin to it, the first type could only take one form as a mass of rotting flesh that assimilated anything it came in contact with."

He sits in a large chair facing a window looking out into space.

"This new and improved form of it is more powerful, resilient and intelligent it was by accident we created it but it was worth it… in a way like our Doppelganger he shares the same blood, the same DNA making them distant siblings… it couldn't exist without the advanced tech from our main facility."

Beneath the other knight's feet a hatch opens revealing a chamber with a black oily liquid-like mass; he's startled by the sit of it. He kneels to look closer through the glass at the necromorph it lets out low growls and moans as it swirls around like water. Then as he looks even closer a portion of the mass lunges at him hitting the glass separating him from it, he jumps back as the mass morphs and shapes into a large arm and hand then scratches the glass with its talons. The head of the knights' rises from his chair walks over, kneels and knocks on the glass. A large mass emerges from the rest of its sludge-like body, six bulb- like blue-greenish eyes appear on it upper half staring at him.

"Patience I know you want out you'll see him soon enough I promise."

The arm recedes back into the rest of its body; it coos then its eyes close and its head falls back returning to a watery mass.

"What is this thing called sir?"

"It was named it Verruckt."

"Demented?"

"Yes one of our people responsible for its creation came up with the name; it's a fitting name seeing he's German."

"I see this thing won't consume our own men will it?"

"Only if they get in its way stay out of its way and they should be fine unless it decides to get hungry for more than heretics then they shouldn't count on living once it has its eyes set on them."

"Understood oh sir I almost forgot there's a problem with our workers at the main facility, its Poul Clarke sir he's resisting the hypnotism again this time he almost broke free completely but we readdressed the control on him but even as we speak he's still fighting the programing."

"The marker there will keep him in line when he gets wise, never the less we need to keep him under control we can't afford to lose him he and his old team along with the many others there are the heart and brain of the production of god's armies station guards to monitor him closely, they are not to let him out of their sight."

"Yes sir."

They arrive back to their station landing in the hanger Isaac upon walking off the board ramp sees Ellie and Hawk waiting for him.

"Isaac, are you okay?" [Hugs him]

"Yeah I'm fine."

"How's Asha been doing?" [Asked Hawk]

"He's okay he's like any father would be after almost losing his son relieved and worried only I think he won't say it directly?"

"Right you are he wouldn't, Isaac when you have moment one of the councilors would like to talk to you, I know things are still sour with you and them but it's important."

"Okay when?"

"Whenever you feel up to it."

"Alright I'll inform them join me when you're ready."

Hawk walks away towards a car and waits for Isaac.

"Getting upset with me yet?"

"No why?" [Asked Ellie]

"Since we got back together me always going off to dangerous places making you worry that something might happen to me and our kids will have to grow up without a father."

"No, no… okay maybe a little but no if there is a way to stop this once and for all then you have to find it you have to take risks just don't take ones that are too high alright and be… careful I don't know if I can lose you again."

"You won't lose me I promise." [Both kiss]

"I better not or you know who's gonna kick your ass."

"Ha… I know well I gotta go I see you later."

"Later."

Isaac gets into the car then it drives off, in the car he sits faced with the councilor.

"Isaac."

"Councilor Rodriguez what's this about?"

"Some of our Special Forces teams have uncovered something interesting, intercepted communications from the unitologist."

"What's interesting about it, are they planning something?"

"That's what we believe it seems in very deep and uncharted space they are looking for something and we've been unable to determine what exactly, our Spec-Ops also have reported a very large energy signature."

The car stops to let another car pass by then resumes its course.

"Later they discovered its point of origin to be an energy based field of some kind any object that comes in contact with it is destroyed."

"Sounds like the disintegration fields on this station."

"Yes but this one appears to be very advanced this shield is covering and cutting off all access to a massive region of space, whatever resides there the unitologist are trying to break through so far they seem to have not had a lot of success in doing so they confirmed that as many as seven of their ships were destroyed upon approaching the field." [Dayloos emerges]

"Councilor where they able to see this field up close without provoking it?"

"No unfortunately… why?"

"You said this field spanned all around the region absolutely no way in."

"Yes."  
"I may know what it is and what its guarding… my people's homeworld or at least where it used to be before my brothers insurrection."

"What could they be looking for there?" [Asked Isaac]

"Anything technology still intact, weapons… speaking of which I fear they may stumble upon something that will give them a big advantage over us they must be stopped."

"Like a superweapon or something?" [Rodriguez guessed]

"Precisely we had many powerful weapons we created for war and defense many of them were kept in vaults on the worlds near our home, the more powerful ones that are capable of destroying worlds were taken apart and kept on our worlds many moons."

"Weapons capable of destroying worlds well I guess that's no surprise seeing as you were the apex race." [Said Hawk]

"Yes there was one my father, the emperor created in his youth… the World Scorcher it was the most bloody weapon our race created and after using it once we vowed to never use it again."

"Why what did it do?" [Asked the councilor]

"The World Scorcher upon activation formed a field around the world it was set on then it would fire a beam into the planet's core, this beam superheats the core beyond its capacity threshold to the point the planet's core detonates destroying it completely."

"My god." [Said Hawk]

"Yes but we did it for the greater good for the many universes that one race was too dangerous to be allowed to live."

"Who were they?" [Asked Isaac]

"They were called the Sukari they were to say the least the most violent race to ever walk existence they were highly religious following their faith to the letter of their holy book which basically said any non-member of their race were abominations and needed to be destroyed without hesitation, they killed everyone they encountered even if they surrendered it meant nothing to them."

"You guys did what you had to do if they were that bad."

"Yes we did but it still marked us when we did it."

"I must discuss this with the rest of the council this may be a much larger problem."

"Well that task force you put under my command and I should be able to investigate this further you guys have enough to worry about with this damned war."

"I agree that's why we put them with you to give you an edge; we'll let you know if come across any more Intel on this manner, here are the coordinates be careful out there."

"Meet up with you later Isaac there some things the councilor and I need to discuss."

"Okay see ya."

The Car stops, Isaac gets out to meet Carver and Hex.

"Hey Isaac what's going on?" [Hex asked]

"Looks like we're going to be busy the unitologist are up to something."

"Like what aside from jerking us around the galaxy?" [Said Carver]

"It has to do with Day's homeworld they seem to be looking for something there but are having trouble getting to it the region of space is protected by an old defense system it attacks anyone not of his race if they get to close."

"Okay how are we going to get pass, that wait until the marker heads find a way?"

"I may be able to help there the system is designed to recognize Dailkuun technology my orb has such programing and codes that can commune with the friend or foe software and let us through."

"Nice at least we have an advantage over those fuckers for once."

"It won't be easy just because you'll have me with you doesn't mean we'll be safe the defenses will still attack us until I can prove to it we all are friendly we will be in grave peril this process will take time, hopefully not too long that we get obliterated."

"That's comforting we'll I guess my piloting skills are going to be put to a serious test huh?" [Hex sighed]

"I'm afraid so you have to do your absolute best to keep us alive for we will be trying to dodge serious fire... I'll do my best to get us in."

"Okay when do we do this?"

"Soon right know lets rest for a day and the following we'll go after all if lucks not on our side it might be a one way ticket for us."

"Okay see ya then I gotta do some work on the Patriarch anyway best I can do make sure she's ready for a ride through hell."

They go their separate ways Hex tends to his ship while Carver and Isaac return to their apartments. Isaac enters through the doorway.

"Hey honey."

"How are you doing?"

"Fine thank you what's up with you?"

"Well tomorrow the guys and I are going to be busy following another lead though this one is bigger than the last."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you."

Isaac sits at the edge of the bed Ellie sits next to him.

"Yeah it seems one thing keeps leading to another I just hope it gets us closer to a future were we don't have to be afraid of this, markers and necromorphs anymore."

"You really have this bugging you."

"It's just stress some of it still from Alfred there was a moment when I was fighting him he briefly broke free of the moons control and told me to get away from him that he didn't want to hurt me because I was his friend… but I'll be okay."

"Maybe I can help you there with your stress."

"Really how?"

Ellie kiss Isaac and wraps around his neck.

"Ellie… we shouldn't."

"It's okay Isaac we can still have sex I did some research in fact sex during pregnancy there are benefits."

"Hmm like what?"

"On my part the orgasms will help prepare me for the childbirth and help me recover y faster afterwards, and the motion made during a session can act as a lull to the babies."

"I did not know that… interesting, learn something new every day."

"And with both of us it's a form exercise, calms blood pressure, reduces stress and can even increase pain tolerance, boost immunity and increase our intimacy."

"Well I was only concerned if you were in the mood most women are not during pregnancy."

"True but I'm in the mood, are you?"

Ellie places her right hand on Isaac's inner left thigh; he squirms at the action letting out a groan and light chuckle.

"That's not fair."

"What is?"

"That you know I'm sensitive there that's not fair."

"Well it is to me."

"Of course it is because you're cheating."

"You think the enemy's going to play fair?"

"I guess it doesn't matter now since I'm getting into it."

Isaac leans back on the bed while Ellie straddles him, Isaac removes his shirt as Ellie does the same with her clothes then their lips meet both kissing.


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning Isaac and his companions travel to the fringe of the galaxy in very deep and uncharted space where the home world of the creator race of the markers resided. Unknowing to the crew of the USM Patriarch the unitologist and the Necro Knights discretely follow them to their destination, the head of the Necro Knights sees the Patriarch enter shockspace through his observation window.

"Soon we'll meet Isaac and when we do I'll have a surprise for you… dear brother." [Thinking]

His ship soon also enters shockspace tailing Isaac.

Hex sets the ship on autopilot and goes to the hold where Isaac is working on further developing his new telekinetic abilities with Day helping him.

"Try lifting this crate it's not as heavy as the ones before." [Said Dayloos]

Isaac focuses on the crate trying to lift it, he struggles to do so as he's able to make it shake and slide across the floor, he finally lifts it in the air.

"Got it but damn it, it hurts to keep it up."

"This s an ability none of mankind has ever had, think of it as a muscle you've never used before it will be weak and fatigue easily but the more you practice and work the muscle the stronger it will get."

"That makes sense."

"Be cautious Isaac, don't strain yourself that is possibly what happened the first time you exerted the power lifting so many objects at once thus your nose bleed."

He drops the crate heeding his caution and sits himself down as his head beasts with slight pain. Curious Hex inquires Day about the abilities of his race.

"Hey Day what else could your people do other than levitate yourself and objects?"

"A many verity, the were some of our race that were very talented with powers none other of our race had there was one that was extremely dangerous to use and to be in its range of effect… it was called Dark Raze."

"What did that do?" [Asked Isaac]

"Explaining it is difficult the ability was feared by us when we were primitive those who such power was worshipped as demons or gods of destruction, the best way I can tell is it utilized a great amount of dark matter and something else we could not identify… the effect of this power allowed the user to literally completely destroy anything it was set on."

"So it like what disintegrated the object?"

"Yes only there's nothing left it's as if its erased from existence when fully subjected to its effect, this ability's power to us for a long time bordered on supernatural."

"That's creepy yet fascinating…" [Commented Hex]

The ships computer announces them nearing their destination.

"Alright let's see what were up against."

They go to the cockpit exiting shockspace, as they draw close to what they're looking for they stand in awe at the sight of the gateway and the massive and seemingly endless energy field composed of hexagonal patterns enveloping and circling the region of space. As they get even closer the eyes on the marble-like statues that decorate the monolithic gateway open and countless numbers of turrets appear out of the structure and violently begin shooting at the Patriarch. Hex quickly maneuvers desperately trying to dodge the laser fire.

"Damn it those things are not playing around!" [Shouted Hex]

"I'm connected to the network it will take time for me to get us through."

"Just hurry Day… rerouting power from the lighting and non-critical systems to strengthen shields!"

Distant from their conflict the unitologist ship waits and observes them. The ship takes many hits with its shields taking most of the damage but with each hit they grow weaker.

"Warning shield generator capacity down to 76%." [Announced the ships computer]

The statues then fire orbs of energy out of their eyes that home in on their ship.

"Isaac, Carver!?"

"Way ahead of you!" [Shouted Carver]

They man the ships defense turrets to stop the orbs from hitting them, they explode making shockwaves as they're destroyed. A stray orb slips through and shatters the ships shields badly damaging the shield generator.

"Warning shields offline, generator inoperable."

"Shit, Day sometime today would be nice!" [Isaac exclaimed]

"Isaac I'm currently battling over thirty-three million anti-viral and hacking protocols while simultaneously trying to capture eight thousand security nodes required to shut down the network, I'm tasked to capacity."

"What!?" [Said Hex]

"The network doesn't recognize my code I must hack into it and shut it down all together."

"How many nodes have you captured!?" [Shouted Carver]

"Six thousand seven hundred twenty-two, I'm half way there."

They keep fighting for their lives as the ship sustains heavy damage, another orb hits the ship's side damaging its port booster.

"Day!?"

"Seven thousand five hundred fifty-five almost there."

Two more energy orbs hit the ship on blows off the ship's left wing, the other blows a hole in the haul in the cargo hold.

"Haul breach in cargo hold, sealing area." [Stated the computer]

"One more left."

One the verge of making it through yet more orbs rush at them, this times Isaac and Carver intercept them both and the final node in the network is captured.

"I got it, defenses shutting down."

The monolith's turrets cease their and the statue eyes close shortly after the barrier protecting the space beyond it breaks up and the monolith falls silent. Isaac and Carver look towards each other sitting in the control chairs of the turrets, they smile and start laughing.

"Shit Isaac how many close calls has it been with us plus that one?"

"I don't know and I don't care I'm just glad we pulled through another seemingly impossible obstacle."

"This kicked the shit out of that mining drill." [Carver joked]

"What drill?" [Asked Hex]

"A mining drill on Tau Volantis tried to kill us, I swear that drill had it out for us."

"Yeah well it was dead boy's idea to release the safety gates in the first place."

"Like there was another way around it smartass."

"Boys." [Said Hex]

"Anyway looks like its clear form here how's the damage?"

"Computer damage report."

"Shield generator is defunct, port side booster destroyed, haul breach detected in the cargo hold, left gyro wing destroyed, moderate damage to thruster two."

"Well not as bad as it looks, could have been worse anyway lets held onward before something else shows up." [Said Hex]

"Is the ship okay like this?"

"Yeah she's tough it'll be fine maybe when were down on the ground we can make some repairs but that hole in the cargo hold its gonna have to the workshop on Sanctuary."

"Alright let's see what's here with luck we'll be closer to stopping the moons from getting one of the last two markers."

The Patriarch entered the territory slightly slow due to the damage from gateway, not far behind them the unitologist ship continues tailing them along with two others occupying it.

"By the marker they did it the way is clear and the gateway is harmless." [Stated the necro knight]

"Just as well we lost too many people and ships trying to get past that damn barrier keep on their tail." [The head knight commanded]

"Yes sire."

The Patriarch flies through a small asteroid then after emerging from it, a vast galaxy of long abandoned worlds lie before them.

"So Day that planet dead ahead well what's left of one is that…?" [Asked Hex]

"Yes my peoples home world it now lies in ruins chunks of planet matter still floating in its orbit."

"Are you okay you seem disturbed?" [Asked Hex]

"I am well it's just been a very long time since I was here… nostalgia."

"So where would you… well I mean the real Day would have tossed the marker, I mean if it didn't go far from the planet unlike the black marker it must be here somewhere right." [Asked carver]

"Correct but I cannot remember his memories still have gaps and if he didn't know where the white marker ended up I certainly wouldn't either but yes it's here somewhere and we must find it before HE does… and I have a hunch we may not be alone here."


	25. Chapter 25

They fly through space navigating through countless debris they eventually come across destroyed war ships with a great many of them intact.

"Damn your people's ships are awesome they look pretty similar to ours only more futuristic."

"Well they're defiantly not flying saucers." [Carver joked]

"You really were expecting something from "The Day the Earth Stood Still"? [Asked Hex]

"Which one, the original or that remake from the 21st century with that… what was his name Reeves? [Carver asked]

"Keanu Reeves, and I think the saucer was in the original the remake I'm sure they didn't use those they used giant glowing orbs I could be wrong I haven't seen either one of them in ages." [Hex explained]

"I read the remake was good but not as good as the 1951 original." [Said Isaac]

"I wouldn't really know I like movies regardless remakes or originals, a lot of good movies were made in the 21st century." [Said Hex]

"I hate to interrupt but we have company." [Dayloos warned]

"What is it, are we being followed?"

"No its worse than that and what I was concerned about."

A large asteroid ahead of them is blown to pieces and from the dust storms out a large snake-like robotic machine that quickly moves towards them in a snake-like fashion firing white beams of energy from its bulbous eyes at them, Hex executes sharp maneuvers to dodge the fire.

"The fuck is that!?" [Carver exclaims]

"A Sentinel, it's an unmanned AI controlled battle robot it must've activated when the Monolith sent out a warning signal into the star system."

The Sentinel pursues them through the wreckage field.

"Let me guess couldn't shut down the network fast enough to stop it from going out?" [Hex inquired]

"Yes but I didn't think any of the machines we built to guard against invasion would still be functional."

"Well this one is and… why's it not attacking us anymore." [Perplexed]

The ship circles around seeing the Sentinel cease its fire and flies close to them by their side then flies away ahead of them and further out through the wreck field.

"Thankfully I managed to tweak the IFF in my system and applied it to the ship's signature it reads us as friendly, we're safe."

"Nice job Day if we had to fight that thing..." [Hex signs in relief]

"It's likely we would have been killed considering the damage this ship has already sustained; the Sentinel's weaponry may not be as deadly as the Monolith's but it's deadliest tactic is its relentlessness in destroying all intruders."

"Nice to have something like that on our side." [Carver commented]

"Yes if we need assistance I can call it to us and it will provide fire support."

"Sweet." [Hex agreed]

They advance closer to the planet; Isaac places his hand on the back of his head as he groans not in pain but as if feeling something like a gentle touch pushing him, Carver takes notice.

"Hey you okay?"

"Um… yeah."

"You're sure the last time your head hurt you saw a vision of ugly face heading towards us?"

"I'm not sure there's something here that's calling out to me, more like pulling me."

"What the marker?"

"I think so it's not clear whenever I felt the marker's effects it was usually violent but this is different, not that I don't welcome it being gentle for once rather than the million needles sticking your brain feeling."

The screen to Hex's right beeps.

"Okay guys we're gonna have to land on one of these moons the computer's reading a problem in the thrusters."

"Alright I can take a look at it when we're on the ground."

The Patriarch lands on the nearest moon, as they touch down one of the engines explodes setting off an alarm.

"In the name of screaming shit, Isaac I think the engine that was damaged just blew I have to cut the engines."

"Ah shit alright I'm going out to check." [As he enters the airlock]

The doors open and Isaac uses his suits thrusters to propel him to the ships rear due to the moon's very light gravity.

"I just pasted by that haul breach."

"How bad does it look?"

"It's pretty big those damn orbs busted right through the armor." [He reaches the thrusters]

"Okay I'm opening the access hatch."

Upon opening the hatch, a small blast of blue plasma sprays outward at him almost burning his right side of his head.

"Ah son of a…!" [Gets burned by a few drops of hot plasma on his hands]

"Isaac?"

"Well… safe to say the plasma rotors just burst."

"That is not good and if I remember I replaced the rotor that just blew with the pare I had when my ship got fucked up by the meteor storm that stranded us on the Ishimura wreckage."

"Okay… uh well we can't just use the last two thrusters or we run the risk of blowing ourselves up… hey Day these old ships floating around, any chance we'll find something that'll help."

"Our ships did utilize plasma rotors with the engines of a sort but not similar to the model the ship requires, our ships thrusters as you can see…" [Pulls up a holo schematic of the ships]

"They were a considerable size…"

"Okay… well we're in a sea of spare parts so maybe we can fix it."

"We'll have the first rotor is completely broken the second is in bad shape but yeah we can patch it up with these spare parts." [Isaac as examines the damage further]

"That may prove difficult the metal alloy of our ship's hauls is extremely dense and resistant to what's need to process it into a compatible part, and was this ship's Bench station in the hold where the breach is?"

"Yeah but we're wearing suits so as long as we keep an eye on our O2 gauge when we're in there we'll be fine."

"Alright the plasma in here is still evaporating so plenty of time to scavenge the wreck field." [While flexing his fingers]

"Are you okay you sound Irked?"

"Yeah I burned my hand a little when I opened the hatch, damn plasma it's okay I'm fine."

"Alright well meet me in the hold you can get in through the large hole, Hawk loaned me some new stuff that can help us explore without having to waste O2 while getting to the space junk."

Hex leaves the cockpit engages his helmet as he seals the door behind him then enters the hold. He turns to his right and pulls off a cover and is startled as a small robot come out underneath, it looks up at him beeping.

"Damn." [Isaac enters through the breach]

"Hey Isaac is this a friend of yours?"

"Hehe hey… where've you been little buddy?" [Picks up his Scavenger Bot]

"Take that as a yes?"

"Yeah I found it when Carver and I were at Tau Volantis."

"A scavenger bot huh he seems cute."

"Yeah he helped get us resources while we made our way through that ordeal."

Isaac turns off the bot and places it back in his RIG.

"So are these…?"

"Yep Hawk said it's a gift from her protégé."

"Now these look pretty cool, they look like jet skis." [Isaac looked at their new gear]

"Yeah but made for space the control balls it'll be big help maybe we can take some time to explore one of those ships might find something useful."

"Good point lets uh get some parts to work with first."

"Why don't you guys go scavenge for parts and I'll go see what's on that ship above us."

"Okay let us know what you find." [Said Hex]

They go separate ways Isaac and Hex go procure replacement parts while Carver explores the derelict ship. Carver approaches the starboard side of the alien ship.

"Hmm it appears the ship is capsized." [Day stated]

"Okay not a problem any place where they're might be something useful?"

"I'll set your locator to guide you to an armory but I may be locked down due to the ship losing power a long time ago."

"Okay how will I fix that?"

"Leave that to me there should a terminal nearby it'll look like a hexagonal pillar extending form the ground if you shine your flash light upon it should glow purple its responsive to light."

"Alright." [Follows his locator]

Isaac and Hex find more than enough scrap metal to fix the engine parts and hauled their stock pile back to the Patriarch. Carver reaches the waypoint and finds the pedestal after his light makes it shine purple as Dayloss stated.

"Okay uh what now?"

"Place your hand on it and I'll connect to it and I'll see if I can reactivate the generators."

He touches its surface and Day sends a copy of himself through Carver's RIG into the ship's systems.

"Give me a moment… there's still residual power left but very weak, thankfully enough for me to use it to restart the power."

Day is successful in restoring power to their section of the ship instead of the armory door opening, a blast seals over the first doors as patterns on the walls illuminate the halls.

"Uhh?"

"Blast doors the power was out for a long time it must have tripped a few system one moment… and got it."

The blast doors open as well as the normal doors.

"Alright guys we're in… and holy shit."

"Anything good?"

"Yeah a lot I won't spoil it for you'll have to come and see."

"Alright we're done offloading the parts we'll be there soon."

A few minutes later they regroup at the armory.

"Wow… this is freaking cool."

Carver picks up a large shotgun looking weapon it activates as white light patterns similar to the walls of the ship's corridors, as it emits a low humming noise.

"I'm really digging this one."

"That's called the QXB3-Demolecularizer it uses ionized particles to destabilize and destroy the target on a molecular level." [Day explains]

"So it disintegrates targets?" [Carver summarizes]

"Yes most of all our weaponry disintegrated their targets after a few shots."

"Nice wonder how effective these are on necromorphs?" [Picks up an assault rifle]

"Even with these weapons the necromorphs are still tough plus the damage and effect these weapons cause is accumulative meaning like I stated one shot wont disintegrate even a human with armor but a few will, the same is true for them."

"XB-6 Wither. [Isaac reads the markings on his weapon]

"I keep forgetting you can read marker script or rather his people's language."

"Yeah… it looks like these cases are portable we can take these with us." [Holsters his plasma cutter taking up the XB-6 Wither]

"Sweet and there's a lot in here wait until Ashatear and his men get to use these… oh Day what about ammo is there type these guns need?" [Said Hex]

"No these have a special power core that's self-renewing it's in a way a limitless power source some of the weapons in here have to recharge as their way of reloading before they can be used again."

Dayloos walks towards aa case with few much larger guns.

"I've been wondering if the VM-7 Dark Launchers you got from those mercenaries… if EarthGov reversed engineered them from these."

"What do you mean?"

"I went through some highly classified files on advanced weapons projects it seems EarthGove a long time ago found an alien ship drifting through space it was one of my people's they found weapons, the weapons however were no longer functional due to being damaged but they dissected them in hopes to make their own in which it seems they did… those dark launchers." [Day states]

"Huh so the dark launcher are our versions of these… QXB- 808 Dark Light."

"Yes."

"Okay so how are we going to get all of these out of here this'll take a while." [Carver inquired]

"No it won't… press that symbol." [Day instructed]

Hex does so and the cases containing the weapons are closed then shrinks to small cubs on the floor.

"Hmm interesting I'm guessing dimension compression or I would call flat space technology though I think it's really called the pocket universe." [While examining the now small weapon case in his hand]

"Correct."

"Wow its only theoretical with us but you guys found a way wait till Hawk see this trick." [Said Isaac]

"I'm sure she'll be mesmerized." [Said Day]

They make all the cases small so they can be easily carried in their RIGs and on their person, while moving out the explore more of the ship discovering long dead corpses of the crew.

"Well this brings back bad memories."

"The Ishimura?"

"Yeah."

"I think they're safe they don't look infected assuming your kind could right?"

"Even my race was not immune to being mutated but yes I don't sense the hint of infection anywhere on the ship or these corpses."

Isaac's RIG warns him that his O2 is low.

"Okay as much as I would like to keep exploring we should head back my air's low."

"Yeah same here." [Hex agrees]

They retrace their steps back to their point of entry back to their vehicles and ride back to their ship. Unbeknownst to them the unitologist ship spies on them hiding behind stationary debris as being cloaked, on the bridge the head knight rise from his chair and again opens the fish bowl like section underneath him housing the Demented named necromorph, its head rises out of the its liquid like body as before looking at him with its greenish blue eyes.

"Your time to play has come let's go find our brother and have a nice time."

It coos as if happy its finally being let out of its cage.

"High past time for our first family reunion." [Laughs sinisterly]


	26. Chapter 26

On the way back to the Patriarch Isaac sees another vision similar to the ones he's had before but less violent but still intense enough to hurt his head, he sees a mass of black liquid swirling about making growling noises. A few fluxes of static like patterns, the images flash and change to a maker with bright white light in its background making it stick out in his sight then the vision ends.

"Isaac?" [Dayloos senses his irritation]

"I'm okay."

"What did you see?"

"I… I'm not sure it looked like a puddle of black stuff and I saw a marker, do you think since now I'm more sensitive to the moon's signal I can track where it is?"

"It's possible… and it may also be a falsehood made by him, we should be careful."

"I agree that first bit that black puddle… I think it might a warning."

"Of incoming danger?"

"Yeah, every time I get something like that something happens or shows up."

The group returns to their ship, Isaac enters the hold first and is greeted by a cloaked figure similar to McConner.

"Hello Isaac so at last we meet."

"Who are you?"

"I have no name at least not anymore, but when I owned one it was Simon but I hardly ever respond to that name anymore I'm only know now what I command with us the elite servants of the gods… we are the Necro Knights."

Simon looks up at Isaac with his face shadowed by his black hood.

"Unitologist."

"Yes and no we like to think of ourselves as something more... you can remove your helmet my ship's shields have been expanded to envelop your ship and the area around it, there's air to take in."

Isaac retracts his helmet being able to breath as Hex and Carver enter the hold seeing the man on their ship they ready their weapons.

"Isaac who's you friend?" [Asked Hex]

"Not entirely sure, apparently he knows me."

"What marker head doesn't know you, your like celebrity now with the government and these freaks."

"Indeed I do know you but you seem not to know me, have you ever seen me before?"

"Can't say I have why have we meet before?"

"Once but it was a while back you might not remember it was about a year before you met Nicole, but it matters not… you and your friends have been quite meddlesome to us and our beloved god to say that he is "pissed off" is an understatement." [Chuckles]

"Ah good at least we know he's not ignoring us, anyway I take it you here to kill us?" [Isaac questioned]

"Indeed but her holiness was insistent that I try to sway to just accept what awaits you and your race resistance is pointless sure you prolong your life to fight another day but how many more days do you think you can keep extending your time, you really only postpone the inevitable?" [Asked Simon]

"You mean my mother?"

He looks at Isaac as if enraged.

"Yes… she speaks a lot of you frankly I've been annoyed by it and having that double of you hasn't made it any more tolerable… I guess she favored you over me."

"What... what do you mean she favored me over you?" [Isaac intrigued by his statement]

"My, my your slow to catch on aren't you, I'll just spit it out then you and I share the same last name Clarke and the same mother."

[Isaac stands baffled]

"What… no hug for your little brother?"

"Bullshit I was an only child."

"I was born a year after you left home for good and startled building your own life, going to college to follow father's footstep as best you could… I'd say it payed off you turned out alright I'm sure father would be proud."

"I know you and your friends have him."

"Oh do you now?"

"Yeah and let's say if I were to believe you're really my brother do I dare ask if mom put you up to unitology or did you go to it on your own?"

"Mother raised and brought me up into it she made sure my existence was kept secret from the government especially from you."

Behind Hex and Carver, the black oil-like creature the Demented slithers up behind them forming into its solid form while softly growling. Hex turns around seeing it observing them. Hex is startled by its hideous appearance, Carver turns too and the creature roars and tries to reach for them. It grabs hold of them both, before it can hurt them Simon snaps his fingers and it stop in its tracks gazing on him.

"Put them down I know I told you not to play with your food." [Said Simon]

It does as he commands and gently releases them, both quickly move to Isaac.

"Say hello to another relative of ours."

"That… there's no way?"

"It's very involved and sadly I haven't got the time to explain the whole thing to you but I'll do my best."

"Your doppelganger was created from the research of this creature we call the Demented, he is our brother as well… you see our mother she had a third child besides you me later only it was never born." [Simon explained]

"Never born?" [Asked Isaac]

"She gave up the child for our researchers to experiment on, they removed the fetus form womb and they used it as they saw fit… as you can see our baby brother became something much greater then human." [Pulls back his hood]

Isaac looks at him examining his appearance, he notices his eye that are the same his own only darker in color. His skin and his hair the same as Isaac only longer, half of his face tattooed with marker script.

"Greater then human my ass, this thing is an abomination if you guys think that this and all those damn walking corpses are the future you people are truly beyond help."

"I don't expect you to understand this is the way of nature we find a way to live or we die those are the options and unlike heretics we choose to survive and our way is the only way… enough talk we'll see each other again soon, but until then way don't you bond with our brother." [As he walks away towards the Demented]

"Have some fun with older brother then return to me." [As he walks off the ship]

It growls in response then lunges at them. They evade its attack as it splashes on the floor into small puddles then they gather and reform.

"How the hell do we kill something like this!?" [Exclaimed Hex]

"I don't know I don't see any weak points." [Said Isaac]

"Just shoot the damn thing we try our new tools!"

Isaac, Hex and Carver use their alien weapons they shoot at its torso with it having little effect for each shot blasts chucks of black goo off its body but it quickly returns and regroups with its body making it stronger.

"This isn't working every time we mess this thing up it keeps regenerating!" [Shouted Carver]

Isaac looks at the creature as it's lost masses rejoin it dimly glowing mass on its arms are quickly covered up.

"It's limbs keep shooting and wear it down again then, aim for is arms!"

They try wearing it down again but it grabs Hex and the Demented jumps on the ceiling, it opens its mouth revealing multiple rows of teeth as it attempts to eat him.

"Guys some help!"

"Hold on!" [Isaac Shouted]

Isaac shoots at its head distracting it, as it roars Hex catches a glimpse of a pulsating glowing orb in the back of its throat, knowing he's found a soft spot he struggles to free his right arm holding his pistol. The weaken it enough that the glowing yellow tumors on its arm are visible, enraged it lashes its arm like a whip knocking Carver and Isaac against the wall. Hex frees his arm and as it directs its attention back to Hex he reaches and aims his gun at its weak spot in its mouth and fires multiple times till it drops him screeching loudly and holding its neck in pain. Hex quickly grabs gun and shoots its arm shattering it like glass it, falls from the ceiling splattering a large portion of itself on the floor.

"Yeah you like that ugly fuck!?" [Exclaimed Carver]

It roars then changes into its liquid form swirling out of the ship Isaac chases it outside, He sees the creature boards Simon's ship.

"Simon!" [As he put his helmet back on]

"Another time Isaac, another time."

He laughs as the boarding ramp closes and his ship speeds away, Carver catches up with him.

"Damnit, Isaac if these guys are here we need help we should contact Colonel Ashatear have him bring his squad." [Carver explains]

"I agree, is Jordan okay?" [He walks back to the hold]

"Yeah I helped him into the lounge he's a little banged up but he's a tough kid." [Said Carver]

"That he is for a sixteen-year-old he is."


	27. Chapter 27

After their short ordeal they return to work on the ships engines.

"Okay I sent a message to Asha they're on their way but it'll take a while." [Said Hex]

"Good… how are the parts we got can we use them to make replacement rotor?" [Asked Isaac]

"Yes it'll take time but here we'll be occupied… hopefully those guys won't try anything." [Said Hex]

"Wishful thinking, Hex." [Said Carver]

On board the unitologist ship the Demented snarls in anger as it heals it's in- and external wounds, Isaac's doppelgänger enters Simon's chamber.

"Well… looks like it had a bad play date." [Sarcastically]

"He was lucky but next time he won't be as fortunate."

Simon rises off his chair and draws close to the Demented stroking its head, its blue greenish eyes open starring at him cooing.

"Don't worry you'll play with brother again soon for now finish regenerating."

It slithers back in its containment vat beneath them and seals itself.

"So this pet of yours is brother to you and Isaac?"

"Yes but I don't see how that's any of your concern."

"I just want to understand why we keep this disgusting thing it's good for nothing but consuming everything in its way."

"I'm not in favor of your tongue, I'd stop before your made to regret your insolence." [Angered]

The Doppelgänger stands silent.

"Apologies."

"Now get out of my sight."

The Doppelganger leaves and Simon's second enters.

"What is it now, is he still resisting?"

"Yes but not as much as last time but that's not why I'm here sir, we may have a problem."

"What?"

"Our spies on Sanctuary station have confirmed Colonel Hyperion and his squad have been dispatched to assist Isaac and his friends."

"Let them come to their aid it won't make a difference, we'll keep following them and they'll lead us to the marker."

"I'm concerned that they know our intentions, tailing them."

"It matters not, they need the markers as much as he does they have the need to get to it first and put it out of our reach… they actually believe they can use the markers against him how interesting."

Back on the Patriarch Isaac and Hex continue working on restoring the ship to working order while Carver converses with Ashatear over his RIGLink.

"We just received your message you guys alright?"

"Yeah we ran into a few snags and well frankly we're in over our heads on this one." [Said Carver]

"That's why the council gave you guys command our us, don't worry we left Sanctuary about half an hour ago we should be there under an hour."

"Good the marker heads have a new toy they introduced us to, a new necromorph breed."

"Not surprising there's reports almost every few days or so of new strains of necro appearing all over the galaxy."

"Damn sounds like Earthgov hands are getting full as if they weren't full before."

"Yeah a little after Danik's murdering spree across the galaxy high command and the council activated every T.E.D.A agent to help fight this this war."

"TEDA?" [Isaac asked]

"Terran Elite Defense Agency."

"I've heard of them but as of a few decades ago they were considered a myth cause their existence was classified top secret only few members of the government and the council at the time were aware of them." [Said Hex]

"What are they really?" [Asked Isaac]

"They're a combination of all of the UN's special agencies and forces… in the late 24th century there was joint initiative to create an agency made up of the best of all the nations, America's CIA, NSA, Secrete Service, Britain's MI5 and MI6 etc."

"Interesting so every member of the UN had whatever their version of those agencies apart of it?"

"Yeah and some non-members and outside elements too, everything from my old job at ASIS to Quds Force, to Russian Spetsnaz, to Israeli Defense Force, hell even the Swiss Papal Guard from the Vatican."

"Seriously that's is pretty cool?" [Said Hex]

"Who's the leader of the agency?" [Isaac inquired]

"General Lucius R. Titan is the current director he has quite the reputation and the temper." [Said Asha]

"You know him?" [Hex asked]

"Yeah we tangoed more than once sometimes he'd win sometimes I won most times we called it even and walked away with bloody noses and black eyes, we're not rivals but we're sure as hell not friend's either… overgrown bastard."

"Kicked your ass a couple times?" [Carver laughed]

"Have you tired fighting a 10-foot-tall guy, a buff one at that?"

"10 feet?" [Said Hex]

"Yeah General Titan suffers from gigantism, he's also stronger than the average human this bugger can survive and endure anything he's a freak of nature with that his nickname in the military is "The Titan." [Asha explains]

"He sounds scary." [Hex commented]

"He's the type of guy you don't want to get into a knife fight with he's very skilled in knife fighting I'll bet he still has that wicked karambit."

"His blade of choice?" [Said Hex]

"Yeah its standard issue in the agency I still have mines, they're made well and can take a lot of punishment in my time at TEDA and then after my karambit was my best friend in the field aside from my gun; they're given to each agent as a graduation present after completing training and swearing the oath to service and all that stuff."

"How long were you with them?" [Carver asked]

"About three and half years I met Cole around that time he too was with the same organization of course we both found that out the hard way but it worked out, we should be there soon sit tight."

"See you soon." [Said Isaac]

"If you want to know more about him I'll send you his dossier."

"Got it... but why something else we need to know?" [Asked Hex]

"He's been out there on the front lines with his agents fighting the real hot necromorph spots in the galaxy while getting intel on the moons movements and all that, he's been butting in on some of my kid's squad missions before that shit on the station and we might have to deal with him not sure yet but thought you should get an idea of how he is." [Asha explains]

"Okay thanks."

"Asha out." [RIGLink closes]

Hex takes moment to look at the file.

"EarthGov Personnel File:

Name: Lucius Richard Titan AKA: "The Titan"

RIG ID#: 7838259463

Nationality: Italian Egyptian

Home Planet: Scorpio 6

Sex: Male

DOB: October 31, 2453

Age: 59

Height: 10ft 3in (312 cm)

Mass: 211 (96 kg)

Blood Type: O -

Eye Color: Green

Rank: Four Star General- Current Director of T.E.D.A- Former Agent, promoted to Director by the Council at the end of 2506.

Known Family: Vanessa Titan (Spouse), Malik Titan (Son)

T.S.T: Krav Maga (8 years experienced), Jujitsu, Aikido, Karate (Level is that of a 4th Degree Black Belt) Advanced Knife Combat Training. Multilingual, Ambidextrous, Charismatic, Calculating, Relentless, Aggressive.

Service Record: [Classified]

Summary: General Titan has been known to be difficult to work with according to his past superiors in his sun rising years of his military career to present day, if the soldiers involved were slow at keeping up with him he often threw them off his team showing his intolerance towards anything he views as being weak links in his unit. He runs a very tight and strict outfit to the point that some soldiers request transfers after a few months or so out of his unit because they are incapable of measuring up to the standards he aggressively demands out of his men, while little request to join his outfit that yearn for the hardcore are capable or more so in satisfying his expectations. On many occasions he has disregarded and disobeyed orders from his past COs and from high command itself making him notorious in acting under his own directives while not caring for the repercussions he would normally face while still getting his jobs done, despite high command's disagreements towards him and his methods he produces solid results they can't ignore hence why they put up with him. Titan has been known to have boarder line severe anger management issues and minor ASPD or (Antisocial Personality Disorder).

[Additional Information Classified]

"Huh… this guy Asha was talking about looks like a handful and a hard ass."

"That bad?" [Said Carver]

"It says here he's very demanding, anger management issues and he's a little anti-social, if I didn't know better I'd say he sounds a little unstable for his job."

"Asha said his agents were gathering intel on the moons so that means they must be very close to them… I wonder how they don't make themselves aware to them." [Isaac stated]

"Guess we'll find out soon if we get out of this system… okay how's the rotors?"

"Looking pretty good took some work but it'll do until we get the ship fixed up later." [Answered Isaac]

"Okay good… I'll go and run diagnostic see what else we need to fix and what can wait." [Hex walks to the cockpit]

"I'll go see how bad the damage to the shield generator is." [Said Isaac]

"Okay."


	28. Chapter 28

Isaac checks the shield generator to find it in bad shape still sparking bits of electricity.

"Ah no this is bad." [Said Isaac]

"How bad?" [Hex asked]

"Not as bad as the plasma rotors but still no better either I can fix this if you can give me the ships schematics because I'm not familiar with this shield tech."

"Yeah sure here you go, it's relatively new stuff it was developed a year ago and was put to mass production and use two months after the Sprawl Incident."

"Interesting, have they been able to make personal shielding?" [As he starts working]

"As a matter of fact yes its built into all of EarthGovs troop's suits and armor, there's even a wearable model that you keep on your person and it'll protect against most stuff like bullets, plasma bolts, and even sharp objects like knives and Slasher pincers." [Hex explains]

"Cool stuff… probably another thing made from the research on me and the marker on Titan."

"Yeah I heard about that, I heard they tortured you."

"If they did then I don't remember… I've seen some videos of me they kept in the records when I was held in the psych ward, I did things."

"What kind of things?"

"I chewed on my fingers till they bleed so I could write more marker script on my cell walls, I pulled my own nails off my fingers what really scares me is that I don't remember being like that at all… to me when I woke up and I was somewhat sane it felt like the Ishimura and Aegis VII was yesterday when it was three years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah it doesn't bother me too much anymore."

"Um… Hawk wanted me to ask you when I got chance if you were still having those weird dreams, something with a kid and a guy?"

"Yeah sometimes, it goes the same way every time."

"What's with the two people in it that boy and that man?"

"I still have no idea… the man, his face is blacked out and distorted and the boy he's very familiar but I don't know... I'm still piecing it together."

After a few minutes Isaac managed to fix the generator.

"Alright that should hold for a while no guarantee it'll hold up as long as it did with those defenses but it's something… how are the repairs going with the rotors?" [Stated Isaac]

"The Bench is almost done cutting them into shape shouldn't be long now and the plasma should have dissolved by now so installing them should be seamless."

"Good."

"Ha, I just noticed you cut your hair looks good." [Hex pointed out]

"Oh yeah it was getting long for me."

"Not a mustache person either?"

"I'm on and off with it sometimes I'll let it grow a while then I'll cut it."

"Hmm, looks like we have more company."

"Is it… Ashatear?"

"No its something else." [Said Hex]

[Day emerges from Isaac's RIG]

"We have a problem."

"What is it?" [Asked Isaac]

"More automated weapons have activated and they're closing in on our position."

"Didn't you…"

"I did but something or someone has overwritten my commands and reprogramed the IFF system on this ship, high probability points to your relative while we were securing weapons."

"Figures how many?"

"Twelve all Sentinels, fortunately they don't know our exact location but they do have an approximate location if we move now we may elude them."

"Can't rehack them?" [Asked Carver]

"No they have completely locked me out whoever they are, they have superior hacking skills to be able to corrupt my people's technology on the fly."

"Okay, the rotors are ready we can install them now." [Said Carver]

"You go out and install them and I'll prep the ship, Carver get on that turret just in case." [Said Hex]

"Got it."

Isaac enters outside through the hold to the engines quickly works on the rotors while Hex monitors the long rage sensors, within a few seconds five of the hostile machines appear on the holo screen.

"Hey Day this ship is equipped with a ghost drive can it fool them?"

"It'll fool their visual sensors but they'll switch to a vision mode that'll penetrate the cloaking effect and reveal us they may see the engines thermal emissions through their standard infrared and ultraviolet vision."

"Great, Isaac?" [Called Hex]

"Its done we're good to go?"

"Good hope it holds."

"It will if it took that long to cut it into shape it will." [Insured Isaac]

The Patriarch lifts off and flees as fast as it can with its engines still badly damaged narrowly evading the machines.

"Looks like the cloaking is working and or we got away in time but there still looking for us… you'd think that bastard brother of yours would give us a break after that goo monster shit."

[Isaac is silent]

"You okay… is it about him?"

"Sorry… I was thinking, a part of me refuses to believe he's my brother even more with that thing."

"I'd be freaked out too not every day you find out you have a lost sibling and he's also a psychopath."

"I checked my programs and I still have control over the Sentinel we encountered earlier, I've ordered it to follow us."

"If the rest of them find us can it hold its own against its own?"

"Defiantly they were often tested by pitting them against each other a single one can last a while."

"Nice looks we don't have to worry about anymore asteroids."

Having cleared the asteroid field, they see the marker creator race's home world in countless fragments and more ships still caught in the planets orbit.

"Wow, guess the planet was torn apart like Earth was."

"Yes it was absorbed by him when he transformed into his moon form he took everything from our people to all the matter of our planet."

The ship is rocked hard when its hit by laser fire from two Sentinels.

"Damn they found us, Carver!?"

"I got it!"

Hex tries to avoid their attacks as best he can without stressing the damaged engines too much, a few shots hit them but the shields absorb the damage weakening it to a low level.

"Those damn lasers are strong they're burning right though the shields!"

"Now might be a good time to call that Sentinel."

"It's almost here."

More Sentinels arrive firing at them taking out their shields again.

"Shields overheating… recharging." [Ship computer announced]

"Damn it where's that help!?"

Suddenly five of the Sentinels explode, from above the one they hacked dives down and grapples one of the machines distracting the rest. As it destroys the one in its grasp it charges the others as the Patriarch gets away from the conflict, another Sentinel comes up on their left side slamming itself against their ship almost dazing Isaac, Hex and Carver.

"Ah tough bitch huh?" [Said Hex]

Hex slams back into the Sentinel knocking it away it lets out a mechanical screeching noise then retaliates by taking out another thruster hindering their movement even more.

"Oh you mother-!" [Hex angered]

The Sentinel grabs hold of the ship positioning itself facing the cockpit with its head, it opens its mouth with swirls of energy converging to its center charging it's beam attack. Before it can fire laser fire from above destroys the Sentinel releasing the Patriarch.

"You guys took your sweet time."

"Hey we got held up by more of those things but we're here now." [Asha over the com]

"Your welcome by the way."

"Glad you're here Colonel." [Said Isaac]

"Wow you guys took a beating."

"Yeah guess we underestimated the defenses after billion or so years they're still active." [Said Isaac]

"Good thing you called us, standby we're gonna connect airlocks."

"Okay ready."

Ashatear's ship docks with the Patriarch, he and his board the damaged ship.

"Well what now." [Asked Asha]

"I'm not sure yet but I think the white marker is here somewhere in this system."

"That explains the marker heads tailing us, they're probably looking for it too."

"And we're probably leading them to it." [Said Hex]

"Well we can't let them get it or what's left of humanity might as be dead." [Replied Isaac]

"I agree; I don't suppose you have an idea where should we start looking?"

"Well according to Day his creator took both of the markers and hurled them out into outer space, one of them the black marker crashed on Earth and the white one went somewhere else but something keeps telling me that it didn't go as far as the black one did."

"That's a pretty big leap Isaac if he threw them into space they could've gone anywhere."

"Maybe, maybe not we won't know until we look now would we?"

"How do you know that it's here?" [Asha inquired]

"I get visions now and then, now more than ever after my most recent near death experience I'm very sensitive to the marker signal."

"Yeah Hawk told me about that you almost became a necro."

"Yeah."

"Okay so we look till you basically tap into the signal again and shows you something."

"It might take time the visions can sometimes be vague."

"Alright let's go explore."

"Oh we found some interesting stuff while earlier."

"What'd you find?"

"Weapons alien weapons."

Hex take one of the shrunken containers and activates it, within seconds it reverts back to its normal size.

"Bloody hell now that is awesome."

"We already tried some of them and they are something to be reckoned with best part infinite ammo they just have to recharge and cool off when used too much."

"Groovy we these should make it easier if those marker heads try something again." [He grunts as he picks up a QXB- 808 Dark Light]

"Can you handle that thing." [Chuckles]

"Hell yeah besides if there's more of those… what did you call em Sentinels?"

"Yeah."

"Well these'll pack a nice punch against them if they find us again."

"Good thinking, alright we need to check on a few things before we go okay."

"Shure thing lets us know if you need help."

Unbeknownst to them a long distance away from their location an enormous moon-like entity with colossal tentacles similar to the brethren moons discretely observes them.


	29. Chapter 29

While Hex monitors the ships systems in the cockpit he catches a glimmer shining on his long range scopes. As soon as he investigates it, the glimmer stops blinking and he puts it off thinking it a glitch.

"Hey." [Isaac greeted]

"Oh hey."

"Something wrong?"

"No I thought I saw something just my imagination, well this'll take a while this is a big system to look for that thing."

"We obviously won't find it right away; we'll have to search as much as we can."

"Can you like… tap into the signal at will or…? [Hex asked]

"I haven't tried to be honest, I don't know how if I can trigger them."

"Why don't you try right now, just relax and think of the marker and your connection to it let go and shut everything else out."

"Like meditation huh?" [Lays back into the pilot seat closing his eyes]

"Yeah the same."

Isaac is silent for a moment as he tries to manually trigger his visions, he begins to see random flash images of light.

"Anything?"

"I'm getting something hold on." [Said Isaac]

"He then gets more vivid images of a marker and hears a voice."

"Find us Isaac, we are close you must find us."

The voice fades away then a final image of the home world's moons is shown to him. Isaac gasps and snaps out of it.

"What'd you see?"

"The moons."

"Those monsters?"

"No not them… there the planet's moons." [Points to the ruined planet and its moons]

"That's a lot of moons, that's where it is?"

"I think so; it wasn't specific on which one."

"Day how many moons exactly does this world have?"

"One hundred twenty-two."

"Perfect."

"Don't worry I'll keep trying maybe I can narrow our search."

Isaac tries yet again focusing even more on finding the lost white marker, he sees multiple moons between the planet and the outer moons of its orbit.

"Well we can rule out the ones near the planet and the furthest ones away its on one of the middle ones in the orbit."

"Now we're getting somewhere, lets go check it out."

Hex stops in his tracks closing his eyes.

"Hex?" [Concerned]

His eyes open glowing bright blue.

"Kalis… Jordan is not going to be happy when he finds out you… barrowed him."

"I'll be sure to barrow Carver then next time."

"I think he'll be pissed too, anyway I assume his is important."

"You Isaac, you opened the Monolith."

"We had to if the White marker is here then we can let your… brother get it."

"It was safe here protected by the Monolith's defenses and you shut them down putting it danger of being found."

"Ah so it is here."

"When he defeated and hurled me into deep space I crashed into one of our moons and there it was stuck in the ground… I did what I could to bury it further into the moon to keep it from him then I fled and for a long time it seemed to have worked, he believed it lost in the cosmos."

"Well what's done is done which moon is it?"

Kalis is silent before answering.

"The last moon towards the outer ones, I suggest you make haste the marker has been undisturbed for billions of years when you get close to it… he may take notice."

"Thanks before you… leave, tell me did you know?"

"Know what?"

"You knew my mother was the new leader of the unitologist, what about my so called brothers?"

"I did."

[Isaac sighs]

"I told you what was relevant at the time." [Kalis explains]

"Where are you, are you nearby?"

"Yes."

"How close?"

"As close as I need to be."

"Comforting."

The possessing presence leaves Hex's body; he gasps awake looking at Isaac confused.

"Hex?"

"What the hell just happened?"

"Umm…" [Hesitant]

He slowly catches on to what happened.

"No." [Angered]

"Yes."

"That rouge moon thing possessed me!?"

"Yeah."

"Son of bitch that thing thinks it can't take anyone's body when it pleases, damn it my head hurts."

"Glad it wasn't me that freaking glowing eye crap doesn't look fun." [Said Carver]

"Shut up Carver." [Said Hex]

"Better watch it Carver he said he might do you next."

"Oh fuck that."

"Anyway we might have a location on the marker."

"Nice what's keeping us?"

"Well we don't know which moon it's on, according to Isaac's vision its somewhere on the middle moons."

"Actually I know where it is the… it's on this one." [Points to the moon on the holo map of the system]

"Uralma our burial moon [Day emerges]

"Burial?"

"Yes it's one of four moons we used to commit our dead… we built massive caverns, tombs and cathedrals that housed our ancestors after we mastered interstellar travel."

"Necromorphs and crypts that's… a bad mix."

"If the moons come here while we're looking then we may have major trouble… but then again it may be possible that bodies are not suitable to repurposed as necromorphs."

"Billions of years I'd imagine they'd be dust by now."

"Precisely."

They fly through space for half an hour till they reach the moon, after descending through the atmosphere they set down at one of the cathedral's courtyards.

"Well this place is pretty morbid."

"Most grave sites are I guess." [Said Asha]

"I wonder if this is how most of the outbreaks started on Earth and everywhere else, the morgues and cemeteries."

"That's what happened near me in Sydney when the moons arrived hospitals everywhere and where ever there were still freshly dead bodies, hell I saw dozens of necros rise out of graves at a centenary… it's funny you watch zombie movies and you expect them to rise from the grave."

"How about we not tempt fate again like we did a while ago, necros are trouble themselves, corpses of billion-year-old dead aliens sounds surprisingly worse." [Sarcastically]

"Quick question, is you being sarcastic your way of dealing with stress or just you trying to lighten up the mood?"

"Both just like dropping the f-bomb is yours."

"Alright cut it out you two." [Isaac intervened]

"Relax Isaac we're just messing around." [Said Carver]

"Hey Day is the atmosphere breathable?"

"Yes but I recommend keeping your helmets on since we're going underground, very old crypts are bound to have hazardous fungi growing everywhere."

"Fungus?"

"A type of fungus native to this moon and our world that releases spores that make you suffocate if inhaled, it often grew on our people's corpses so…"

"So the crypts are infested with it?"

"Likely."

"Nice."

"Thankfully the fungus is easily destroyed, its highly flammable but we should exercise caution on what structures of it we burn over the billions of years, quakes may have weakened the supports and these struts of fungi that up over time may be the only things keep the ceilings up."

"Reassuring." [To himself]

They look around seeing the enormous towers and edifices surrounding them.

"Okay you said it was somewhere underground?" [Asked Carver]

"Yes very deep underground, if what he said was true then it must be in the catacombs beneath that building. [Points to the east]

"Citadel looking thing?" [Asked Hex]

"Yes our past rulers were put to rest there."

"Let's go then."

They follow the rocky path through a field of old and weathered stone statues and through another field of tomb-like stones each having the alien's language engraved upon them. They walk up the long stairway to the edifice and reach large stone doors decorated with large menacing looking face.

"Wow you guys knew how to make stuff look ominous… who's that supposed to be?"

"One of our deities from our religion she's our goddess of the dead and the afterlife."

"How do we open these…" [Carver steps on a floor plate opening the doors]

"Never mind."

They enter the building, as they walk in the doors slam shut and symbols on the floor light up and illuminate the interior where they see a shaft reaching down in a spiral deep underground. Hex looks down over the railing into pitch blackness at the abyssal bottom.

"That's deep hate to imagine what could lurk down there, okay it looks like the thing goes downwards like a giant spiral staircase… we need to get to the lowest point so we have a long walk ahead of us… this thing might as well be a highway with how long it is."

One of Ashatear's soldiers stops Carver patting him on his shoulder.

"Whoa what are you doing?"

He pulls a small dimly blinking disk-like object out from behind his RIG.

"Boss." [Flips the object to Asha like a coin]

He catches it and closely examines it.

"Titan you mother… always crashing the party, one of Titan's boys planted a bug on you Carver." [Said Asha]

"That figures a guy did bump into me kinda in a weird way before we left wonder if he…"

"Well weather we like it or not we're likely gonna get company soon at least they wont try to kill us like our usual attention."

"TEDA uses those little gadgets?" [Asked Hex]

"Hey secret agents for you, you gotta respect the classics… hmm same model for nearly ten years and these are bio degradable." [Drops the tracing device then crushes it with his boot.]

"Common at the very least we'll find it and come up with a plan to get this thing out of here cuz I'm sure your ship is not strong enough to carry it with its tethers right?"

"Yeah if the marker is as big as they say it is then we need like a cruiser class gravity tethers to rip it out of the ground mine won't even budge it."

Day examines the lower levels.

"Hey see anything?" [Isaac asked]

"There's evidence of recent activity here… foot prints the thermal signature is still warm."

"Unitologist?"

"No I think some of the tenants of these crypts might be walking around." [Day explained]

"Necromorphs of your people?" [Isaac asked]

"Possibly be cautious these worlds had caretakers to look after the tombs each moon had a least a handful of them so it shouldn't be a big concern but we don't know what manner they have mutated. They may not be aware of us yet."

"Lets hurry then this place is creepy as it is." [Said Hex]


	30. Chapter 30

The group cautiously makes their way down the spiral style of the tower as quickly as possible. They travel for a long time going deeper into the crypts seeing nothing but countless numbers of tombs of past rulers choked up with the fungus that's' native to the area.

"Be cautious this next area is structurally unstable." [Said Day]

Carver falls a bit back from the group covering the rear he steps in a weak spot on the floor that gives away under him, he's caught by Noctis whom appeared seemingly out of nowhere saving his life.

"Watch your step Sargent." [Noctis as he pulls him up]

"Thanks… how the hell do you do that?"

"What?"

"Going around unnoticed like a ghost then appearing out of nowhere."

"It's called Ninjutsu, it means stealth art."

"Noctis… had a feeling you came along where the hell do you hide on my ship?" [Hex asked]

"Where would the fun be in telling just be glad I give shit or two about helping at all."

"I've been meaning to ask, you part of a clan or something?" [Asked Isaac]

"Yes."

"Does it have a name?" [Asked Carver]

"We are Sasayakukage."

"I've heard of you guys Whispering Shadow Clan right?" [Asked Asha]

"That's right."

"I did a few missions years back with one of you when I was with TEDA."

"It was with one of my former students… I remember the mission was in the Amazon rainforest?"

"That was classified how'd you know that?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Never mind." [Laughs]

As they come to a platform they catch sight of tall humanoids walking aimlessly a head pf them down a different direction.

"Are those…" [Asked Carver]

"Yes we should avoid them as much as possible." [Said Day]

"Bad news boss looks like the rest of the way down is destroyed." [Asha's second in command]

"Shit… well let's see if these side corridors lead somewhere if not we'll repel down."

"I'll scout further down and let you know what I find." [Said Noctis]

He leaps over the edge free falling down the chasm, Isaac and Carver look over the side seeing him land on the edge of another platform. He draws his sword and explores the area.

"Reanimated corpses, planet sized monsters and ninjas hell of a reality we live in right?" [Said Carver]

"You can say that again?" [Said Asha]

"Hey Asha was EarthGov still trying to buy that sword from him?" [Hex asked]

"Yeah and like every time we tried no matter the amount we offered they declined."

"Well its priceless it's one of Muramasa's final swords before he died."

"It's not the fact that it's a genuine Muramasa EarthGov for a long time sought, it's what the sword is made of that intrigues them so much."

"Oh… so what it's made of some unknown alloy?" [Asked Isaac]

"According to the eggheads I talked to yeah it's an artificial alloy they call Shadow Steel of course it's not really steel it's a form of titanium that's many times stronger then the highest grade of the natural sort in addition to having unique properties… apparently only they know how to make it so the government has been trying to learn how to with no success these ninjas are good at keeping secrets evidently."

They suddenly hear and feel rumbling as they look up spotting a ship over the breach in the citadel's roof.

"Damn it they're following us again."

They hear a screech startling them, they see five alien humanoid necromorph staggering towards them up the way they came.

"Damn let's take the corridors!" [Said Isaac]

"Isaac that ship is coming down." [Said Hex]

"I know."

They run through the dark corridors only lit by the daylight from above, as they run two exploder type necros fall in from the ceiling in front of Isaac and Hex. Both try to run away but the two necros slam their bloated arms on the ground violently exploding knocking them both on the floor.

"Isaac!" [Carver yelled]

Within seconds the floor under them rumbles loudly Isaac and Hex get up quick but fall as the floor gives away. They collapse into an underground water slide, caught in the current they forced down steep slide spiraling down the depths of the citadel.

"Isaac!?"

"Just hold on!"

They continue sliding roughly down until the reach the end of the slide.

"Oh shit!" [Both say]

They slide off falling down the citadel chasm, both fall for minutes until they come to structures. The narrowly avoid rock pillars using their suit jets until hitting lake at the bottom. Isaac rises up first, he quickly looks around for Hex who hasn't surfaced yet.

"Jordan… Jordan!"

Hex then comes up coughing.

"Jordan you alright… oh god your bleeding." [Touches the side of his head]

"I'm okay."

"Where's your helmet?"

"I had to take it off it was filling with water and it wouldn't come off… that was some fall."

"Yeah let's get out of the water."

Both swim to shallow water, both explore the area looking for a way back up.

"Carver… Asha you guys hear me?"

"Trouble?"

"There's too much inference."

Isaac head begins to hurt as he sees yet another vision of the marker with near unintelligible voices whispering his name.

"What is it?"

"Something that way…"

"The marker?"

"I think so."

Isaac and Hex carefully traverse the shallow water searching the barely lit carven, until they finally reach an archway leading inside a funnel-like chamber running up the carven. Inside they spot the white marker sitting slightly slanted against the cavern walls glowing with faint white arura.

"My god… that is… huge." [Said Hex as they walk closer to it]

"It's bigger then the marker at the Sprawl much bigger." [Said Isaac]

"It looks like it's made of marble." [As Hex attempts the touch it]

"I wouldn't."

"Sorry."

Isaac tries again to call Carver but with no success. Hex yells at Isaac to get out of the way when he sees something leaping towards him, he rolls dodging as it splatters on the ground both look at the creature.

"Not this thing again." [Hex realizing what it is]

It gathers itself and roars at them, after it finishes composing itself Simon appears hovering down on a platform.

"Ah, Isaac thank you for leading us to the marker."

"Simon." [Isaac angered]

"Go find their friends and have some fun."

The Demented leaves the area as he commanded.

"Thanks to you, gods are a great step closer to his goal."

"Not if we take it first." [Said Hex]

"Oh I'm afraid you'll be quite occupied with your playmate one of my larger ships will be along in a few moments to take the marker."

"Fat chance."

With his patience being tested he makes a hand gesture and Hex lifts off the ground and is levitated close to him until he's able to hold Hex by his neck.

"Jordan!"

"You have quite the mouth for a child… I always hated children they're so insolent to their elders." [As he tightens his grip]

Then a kunai knife is thrown out from the shadows and stabs itself in Simons left eye forcing his head back along with his hood. Growling in pain he drops Hex and pulls the blade out of his eye socket, Simon looks at the blade as his eye regenerates.

"Why does that not surprise me?" [Said Isaac]

His eye fully heals and opens looking like it was never hurt.

"McConner told me about you Noctis Hex, you have quite the reputation… one of the finest to be trained by Kuro Tazuki's seeing as you are Greek… if I heard right he hated Greeks your student/master relationship must've been less then harmonious."

"You have no idea." [Echoing though the chamber]

As quick as an eye blink Noctis strikes impaling his sword in Simon's shoulder deep in his body while Simon screams in pain then his screams turn into sinister laughs.

"Greeks, Americans and many others but Greeks… he hated my nationality the most." [In an angry tone]

He then pulls the blade downwards nearly cutting and splitting his shoulder and torso open. Soon his arm like his eye before heals, small tentacle-like strings pulls his nearly severed half back to his body, Noctis strikes again but Simon grabs his blade and throws him over to Isaac and Hex.

"So you want to play… fine let's play."

Simon dashes at Isaac with inhuman speed grabbing him by the neck and tossing him a few feet away, he faces the two left to his side and two swords draw out from his sleeves. Hex draws his sword from his RIG as he and Noctis strike but miss as Simon dodges them and renders both helpless as he PKs them in the air.

"How good are your skills ninja if you can't reach me?"

"You tell me."

Throws two more kunai knives taking out both of his eyes breaking his concentration and releasing them, he growls then laughs.

"I suppose I should have seen that coming." [Continues laughing as he pulls the blades out]

"You seem to be glutton for punishment and pain." [Said Noctis]

Suddenly the Demented falls from the upper levels, it quivers on the ground as if its hurt. Simon's eyes healed once again see it.

"No… what did they do to him!?"

"Looks like Asha and his boys did a number on it." [Said Isaac]

"Damn them…" [Simon cursed]

The Demented composes itself growling with rage it in flash extends its arms around Isaac, Noctis and Hex throwing them to the marker. Both hit the marker's surface, Isaac notices low humming noise form the marker as its glow becomes slightly brighter. The Demented tries to leap at them while they are stunned but its seemingly repelled by an unseen force. It gets back up only to be repelled again.

"What… what happened?"

Simon walks up to the marker and reaches out to PK them, but his PK ability has no effect on them.

"Ah I see… you wish to be difficult let's see if you can resist when the ship rips you out of the ground."

A massive unitologist ship positions itself atop the citadel and deploys its gravity tethers locking onto the marker.

"Shit they're trying to take the marker!" [Said Hex]

The ship has trouble taking the marker Simon takes notice, he speaks into his wrist.

"What are you waiting for rip it out now!"

The ship increases the power then the marker lets out its iconic horn-like sound shooting white discharges of energy up the tether beam into the ship. The ship explodes from the inside and crashes slowly into the moon's surface.

"Well Simon looks like the marker doesn't what to go with you." [Asha as he and Carver arrive]

In a fit of rage, he gerneates a shockwave of kinetic energy knocking everyone back.

"Come!" [As he steps on his hover craft]

The Demented latches onto the bottom of it and it flies into his personal ship. The ship flies lower to them and opens fire on them, but soon an enormous ship above the citadel fires on his ship busting its shields and heavily damaging the ship. It quickly leaves through a tunnel blasting its way an opening outside then races up off the moon into space. Small fighter class ships escort a shuttle down to Isaac and his group.

"Titan's here crashing the party as always." [Said Asha]

The shuttle lands in front of them TEDA soldiers meet them.

"Isaac Clarke, Colonel Hyperion you need to come with us, Director Titan demands your presence." [The TEDA agent stated]

"Nice to see you too again Alex."

"Apologies Asha likewise it been a few years, we shouldn't keep the general waiting."

"What about my ship?" [Hex inquired]

"Your ship is safely aboard our ship Mr. Hex."

All board the shuttle; it takes them to the large cruiser land in the hanger underneath the ship. As they exit the shuttle Isaac, Carver and Hex look around in awe at the large interior of the ship. Ashatear looks at the large crest of the agency on the floor depicting a hand wielding a karambit with Earth in its background.

"Ah TEDA some of the best years of my life."

"Clarke, Colonel please follow me keep your hands visible at all times the rest of your free to move about the hanger."

"The agents are pretty stern." [Said Isaac]

"Trust me when you join you get sucker punched in the face … my drill instructor from my sun rising years in the military were jack shit compared to these guys."

"What were you first?"

"Space Marines."

"Wow the closest thing I was to being anything military was Merchant Marines."

They walk for minutes taking a few lifts till they come to Titan's quarters.

"Titan will be with you shortly have seat."

[Agent Alex leaves]

Isaac looks around while resting on the couch.

"Wow he's highly decorated." [Looking at Titan's metals]

"Yeah only some of these I swear he doesn't deserve them."

"I forgot you and him have bad blood."

[The large door open]

"Bad blood" is a relative term Mr. Clarke… the past Asha and I have is complicated, welcome to the USM Manta's Approach." [Said Titan]

Isaac rises from his seat looking up at Titan who stands a few feet taller than him and Asha.

"Nice to meet you I've heard somethings about you."

"I'm sure my file Asha sent told you plenty about me." [Both shake hands]

"Yeah you'd say that, crashing the party again."

"I'm just doing my job Asha the council requested me to give you aid, good work by the way the white marker is secured in the ships hold out of their reach."

"That's one down and one to go the black marker is still out there." [Said Isaac]

"We'll find it but for now we get this marker to secure location." [Said Titan]

"Sounds good, I'm impressed with your ship general, I've worked on some large ships in my career but this one… it's amazing."

"She's one of five identical ships, your father Poul was one of the many contractors EarthGov hired to design and build these ships they are truly one of kind."

[Titan rises from his desk]

"If you'll excuse me I have work to do, we'll arrive at Sanctuary in an hour."

The agent outside escorts them back to the hanger.


	31. Chapter 31

"Well he didn't seem like his profile described."

"Don't let him fool you he can be a mean son of a bitch; we were just lucky to talk to him while he was in a good mood."

"That bad huh?"

"I told you he and I tangoed more than once and half of those fights were nasty, one time he got a lucky stab in my right side just below my ribs."

"Jesus, that must have left a big scar."

"I've had many big scars even before the military so it was just another addition to my collection."

"Those scars were one of the things I liked about you."

[Both turn around as a woman walks up to them]

"I should've known you were here, it's good to see you."

"Another friend from your past?"

"Isaac this is Zaira Sage she and I go back a long way."

"By a long time he means when we were dating in high school and before he "came out of the closet" if you know what I mean."

"Zaira." [Asha with a glare]

"Charmed."

"Isaac right, heard some amazing things about you."

"Oh?"

"Aside from what is already known like the Ishimura, facing off and killing a moon on Tau Volantis and I hear another recently."

"I'm doing what I can."

"Don't let the stern agents here make you think otherwise but they respect you and your efforts."

"There some doubt going about?"

[They start walking.]

"Some have mixed feelings about you seeing as you were a test subject for the Telomere project on the Sprawl as well as similar ones."

"I can understand that… but what do you mean by similar ones there were other projects like Telomere?"

"Um… yeah though I shouldn't talk too much about it I hope you understand, otherwise Hercules in his office back there will have my ass."

"Speaking of which do you happen to know what he's been doing on the front lines?"

"No why?"

"Old friends tell me he's been out on the front lines tracking the moons movements."

"Almost everything he does is classified Asha you know that so no I don't sorry… I know what you're thinking don't think I don't and don't do it."

"What?"

"We dated since junior high and we used to work together I know you… do I have to remind you the last time you pissed off Titan."

"That was waltz at best."

"He stabbed you in the ribs he could've gutted you."

"And I could've bleed him if my knife cut a little deeper into his neck."

"Not the point."

"Alright I'll drop it for now."

[She signs]

"Just don't do anything stupid please."

"No promises."

"Oh almost forgot Director Titan wanted me to tell you that he's willing to have you reinstated into the agency if you want it… you, Isaac and your squad will have access to special gear and equipment."

"How kind of him... thanks."

"Well I have to go see you around Asha, Isaac."

"Guess Titan is putting aside past grudges?"

"Maybe, maybe not either way."

"What was that thing she knew you were thinking about?"

"Something that would reignite the rivalry with me and Titan if he found out which he probably will if I go through with it."

"It seems he can do a lot of things like he has free rein."

"He does in a fashion; his position gives him a lot of power on top of having a license to kill."

"He can just kill whoever he wants?"

"He and every agent of TEDA can kill anyone as long as it serves the greater good."

"If you ask me no one should had power like that."

"I agree I learned that well when I was with them, there were times I remember a few agents went too far with their privileges and it ended badly I don't want to think about it."

Isaac and Asha join up with their group in the hanger.

"Hey Isaac, how'd it go?" [Carver asked]

"Okay guy was bigger than I was expecting."

"How tall is he again?" [Asked Hex]

"He's 10 feet tall." [Said Asha]

"Wow, you gonna tell me he's muscular beast too?"

"Oh he is trust me he can break a person in two if he wanted to."

"He's not joking Clarke it was because of Director Titan EarthGov took back Earth and the nearby colonies from the unitologist, some would say what he did was extreme but seeing as what they did to innocent people they deserved it." [Said agent Alex]

"What he do?"

"The unitologist launched a crusade and we TEDA turned the tide, he went world to world exterminating every marker head he can find and he was very thorough."

"Let me guess he did his triple tap method?" [Asha asked]

"What's that?" [Asked Hex]

"He puts three bullets in your head to make sure your dead, one of Danik's inner circle tried to kill his wife and kid so he ended up with three holes in his dome."

"Not surprising you hit one of his nerves like his family he goes on the war path." [Said Asha]

Isaac's head hurts as he sees more images of the marker.

"Happening again?" [Carver Asked]

"Yeah its more intense being close to it." [Rubs the back of his head]

"Why did the marker do that, destroy that ship not that I'm complaining."

"Don't know maybe like Asha said it didn't want to go with him."

"You guys notice he couldn't use his powers on us when we were close to the marker nor could he get close to us."

"The marker was protecting you?" [Asha asked]

"Maybe not sure, I read some things about markers having an area around them that necromorphs and anything related can cross, and if they manage to somehow cross it instantly kills them."

"Interesting I never heard of that."

"Well, all we need now is to find the final one the black marker."

"I've been thinking about that, what happened to it from what I've seen and heard it was relocated and no one seems to have a clue where it is." [Isaac stated]

"We'll find it and if those things get it first, that'll give us an advantage… they'll either have to try to negotiate or more likely come to us and try to take it by force."

"Can't wait for that to happen." [Hex snidely]

Aboard Simon's ship he enters his quarters finding his mother looking through the window into space.

"You failed he is very displeased."

"Is it that transparent?"

"It is you promised him you'd obtain the marker."

"There were complications… the marker was resistant."

"And that stopped you… the only thing I hear in your explanation is weakness and incompetence."

"Be mindful of your words mother don't forget who put you in your seat of power if not for me you'd still be a pathetic abandoned and depressed house wife."

"How dare you."

In anger Octavia slaps him across his face forcing his face to the right. Simon slowly turns his head back to her letting out a low inhuman growl.

"Don't get too comfortable your holiness many of the knights believe you are weak and not fit to lead us so be cautious, if not you may regret it."

"You threaten me?"

"No I'm doing more than threating you… I'm promising you."

She storms out of his quarters, as she walks down the dimly lit hall the doppelganger enters.

"Sounds like I missed a party and your pet below couldn't handle a pack of ants."

"Silence, I simply underestimated Isaac nothing more."

"Maybe next time I should go with… that way you won't fail."

"I'll consider it; is there anything you need to say?"

"No sir."

"Then get out of my sight, your face reminds me too much of Isaac and I do not wish to see his face."


	32. Chapter 32

The Manta's Approach arrives and docks at Sanctuary's largest hanger, where many troopers disembark. Isaac and Carver slowly walk off the massive boarding ramp as they watch TEDA agents haul away the marker.

"Those fuckers are gonna be pissed we got one of them first."

"Yes they will…"

"You got a bad feeling about them too?"

"Yeah but at the moment we might have to trust them… come on let's go check with Hawk."

"Have you seen Asha?"

"I think he went to see Hawk too, Hex on the outer hand is getting his ship back in shape."

"Good."

Moments later they enter the sector near Hawk's lab, half way there they stop when Ashtear is thrown through a large window to the left.

"The fuck?" [Said Caver]

Soon after his father jumps through the broken window panting, he walks to Ash who lies on the floor groaning.

"You always gotta make it difficult don't you!"

"Fuck you old man is that the best you can do or are you getting old!" [Ash taunts is father]

He gets up and lunges into Asha throwing themselves back through the window.

Isaac and Carver carefully observe the fight.

Ash punches and strikes Asha repeatedly as he holds his arms up blocking his strikes, Asha catches his right arm then elbow strikes him in the face. Ash grabs a metal rod and hits Asha hard on the head and falls to the floor he tries hitting him again but fails when his father sweeps his legs making him fall. Then Asha gets him into a chokehold gradually tightening his grip the more he struggled.

"Yield!" [Asha demanded]

"Fuck your mother!" [He cursed]

"Yield!"

"Fuck your father!" [Cursed agian]

He elbows strikes Asha in his groin making grunt loudly in pain tightening his grip.

"I said yield!"

Ash quickly grabs a shard of broken glass and jabs it into Asha's arm forcing him to let him go.

Both finally stop trying to kill each other for a moment, Asha holds the bleeding wound on his arm and Ash recovers catching his breath after being nearly choked. Ash gets up and tries to take a final swing at his father while he looks away but he easily counters him quickly back kicking him in the face launching him onto the floor.

"OH… You cunt licking bastard!" [Ash painfully]

Ash yells into his hands holding his face as his fingers get soaked in blood from his near broken nose.

"I told you to yield but as always you hardly listen clean yourself up and go take a nap you'll feel better."

"Old man I swear you better hope you sleep with an eye open otherwise I'll get arse when your asleep."

"Good luck with that I'm a light sleeper I'll kick your arse again before you can get close to me."

"Jesus." [Carver surprised]

Hawk runs in catching both Ash and Asha after their brawl.

"My god you two again with this shit."

"Yes again."

"Back to work all of you." [She orders the bystanders]

Isaac and Carver walk in.

"Nice moves Colonel."

"Ah sorry you guys had to see that."

A few lab personnel try to help Ash up off the floor but shrugs them off.

"Damn it Asha I knew your relationship with your kid was bad but I don't think you told me it was this bad." [Said Isaac]

"All that was just our usual annual disagreement, he's just pissed off with me about his mother that's all, he was always closer to her then he was to me."

"That and him inheriting your hostility?" [Hawk asked]

"That too."

"Come on I have med bot in my lab."

[They start walking]


End file.
